Sample records for stage iv mantle

Background: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) rarely presents as early-stage disease, but clinical observations suggest that patients who present with early-stage disease may have better outcomes than those with advanced-stage disease. Patients and methods: In this 13-institution study, we examined...

The aim of this study was to focus on the clinical and paraclinical symptoms of patients suffering from StageIV vestibular schwannomas (VSs). In this prospective study, we included 734 patients who have VS and candidates for operation. Patients were classified as having Stage I, II, III, or IV tumors according to Tos criteria as evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging. PREOPERATIVE CLINICAL EVALUATION: We recorded the occurrence of complaints (%) and duration (yr) of hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance disorder. Preoperative paraclinical evaluation included pure-tone (PTA) and speech audiometry, auditory brainstem response (ABR) patterns, and vestibular deficit at videonystamography (VNG). Continuous variables were compared between StageIV and other stages using analysis of variance. Qualitative variables expressed as a percentage of presence were compared between StageIV and other stages using percentage comparison. Quantitative Parameters. Patients with StageIV VS were significantly younger as compared with patients with other stages. StageIV hearing loss was greater compared with other stages at 250 and 500 Hz but smaller at 2,000 and 8,000 Hz. We found no difference in the loss of PTA between StageIV and the other stages. Speech discriminancy score was smaller in StageIV. The durations of hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance disorders were similar whatever the tumor stage. Auditory brainstem response patterns showed no difference in Wave III latency between StageIV VS and other stages, whereas Wave V latency and V-I interval were higher in StageIV. Both ABR threshold and VNG caloric deficit were higher in StageIV VS compared with other stages. Qualitative Parameters. The percentage of patients with StageIV was lower than that with Stages II and III. The percentage of men and women was similar in all stages. The occurrence of hearing loss was similar in all stages, whereas that of tinnitus was lower in StageIV compared with Stages I and II. In

Infants (age 0-11 months) with disseminated neuroblastoma are known to have a better prognosis than older children with the disease, but there is little information regarding factors that influence the outcome of the disease in these patients. The authors report a series of 110 infants with disseminated neuroblastoma with disease diagnosed between March 1976 and February 1991 in 21 institutions participating in the Italian Cooperative Group on Neuroblastoma (ICGNB). Of the 110 infants, 34 had StageIV disease, and 76 had StageIV-S disease. The 5-year survival probability was 77% for all patients, 71% for those with StageIV disease, and 81% for those with StageIV-S disease. Of the 34 infants with StageIV disease, the 9 who were 5 months or younger at the time of disease diagnosis are all alive (1 with active disease) at 7-143 months after diagnosis, whereas of the 25 infants who were 6-11 months of age at the time of disease diagnosis, 10 have died. Of the 76 infants with StageIV-S disease, 12/64 who were 5 months of age or younger at the time of disease diagnosis died (mostly of massive hepatomegaly); 9 of these deaths occurred in infants with disease diagnosed before they were 2 months old, whereas 1 death occurred in the 12 infants with disease diagnosed when they were 6-11 months old. Four infants with StageIV-S disease achieved complete disease remission and subsequently had relapse of disease. High levels of serum LDH and low urinary excretion of vanillylmandelic acid were associated with worse prognosis. The authors suggest that infants older than 6 months of age who have StageIV disease require aggressive therapy. For infants with disease diagnosed before they are 2 months old, StageIV-S disease may have a worse prognosis than StageIV disease.

Fifty-seven patients with stage IVA-B oropharyngeal cancer treated by definitive radiotherapy in our facility from January 1993 to August 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. The age of the patients was 34-84 (median 62) years old. Thirty-four were male and 14 were female. Subsite of the tumor was anterior: 16, lateral: 39, posterior: 1, and superior: 1. Forty-nine patients were treated with chemotherapy. Induction chemotherapy (ICT) was done in 25 patients, ICT+concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in 15 patients, and CCRT in 9 patients. A dose of 60-82 Gy (median 72 Gy) by hyperfractionated radiotherapy, at 1.2 Gy/fraction twice a day, was delivered in 37 patients, and 60-72 Gy (median 66 Gy) with a conventional daily fractionation in 20 patients. Salvage surgery was performed in 5 patients as a part of primary treatment after radiotherapy. The 5-year cause-specific survival rate and disease-free survival rate were 52.9% and 51.4%, respectively. By univariate analysis, the impact of age, sex, T-stage, N-stage, histological differentiation, chemotherapy and fractionation of radiation therapy on survivals were evaluated. T-stage, N-stage and histological differentiation were significantly covariate correlated with survival. The treatment results were not satisfactory. Further investigation of the treatment strategy to improve the treatment outcome of advanced oropharyngeal cancer is desired. (author)

Full Text Available The theory of work hardening in stageIV depends on the relation between the relative misorientation Psi of neighbouring subgrains and the plastic strain gamma (Psi = B gamma exp). The value of the constant B is suggested to be better related...

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stages III/IV breast cancer disease surgical experience at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. ... Results: Patient had mean age of 44.14±8.42 years, with age ranging from 29 to 65 years. 81.5% of patients were 50 years and below and were premenopausal.

Full Text Available Primary campylobacter enteritis with secondary bacteremia was diagnosed in an immunocompromised patient with stageIV gliosarcoma. She developed mild diarrhea followed by systemic symptoms with transient generalized weakness and fever. She was treated with azithromycin and had a full recovery and without relapse through 2 months of follow-up. Her diagnosis was confirmed by a positive stool culture for Campylobacter sp. and blood culture for Campylobacter jejuni/coli.

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in pediatrics. The long-term survival of patients with advanced-stage neurobastoma has remarkably improved secondary to aggressive treatment protocols including autologous bone marrow transplant (BMT). As a result, a different natural history of this disease is being reported with unusual, late manifestations. The central nervous system (CNS), once a rare site of disease, is being involved with increasing frequency. Appropriate neuroimaging in these patients is important. Two cases of patients with treated stageIV neuroblastoma who developed isolated CNS metastases are presented. The proposed pathogenesis and neuroradiologic manifestations of this complication are reviewed. (orig.) With 2 figs., 23 refs.

We tried to determine the role of cytoreductive surgery for stageIV epithelial ovarian cancer and in what conditions this surgical procedure could carry the best benefits. From January 1986 to December 1997, seventy-one of 73 patients with stageIV epithelial ovarian cancer who were treated in Cancer Hospital of Shanghai Medical University were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical information including age, grade, histology, presence of ascites, size of residual disease, site of extra-abdominal metastasis, whether initially presenting as metastatic disease or not, neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, platinum-based chemotherapy and second-line chemotherapy was obtained. Survival was calculated by life-table and survival curves were computed using the Kaplan-Meier method with differences in survival estimated by log-rank test. Independent prognostic factors were identified by Cox's proportional hazards regression model. The median age of the patients' population was 54 years (range 22-82), median follow-up time was 12 months (range 3 to 130) and estimated 5-year survival rate 6.1%. Thirty out of 71 (42.3%) patients were successfully debulked (< or = 1 cm) at the time of initial surgery. There was a significant difference in five-year survival rate between patients optimally (14.1%) vs suboptimally (0%) cytoreduced, with an estimated median survival in the optimal group of 23 months vs 9 months in the suboptimal group (P=0.0001, long-rank test). When the variables were factorized, only in patients with malignant pleural effusion or positive supraclavicular lymph nodes, optimal cytoreduction could get the greatest benefits. Multivariate analysis revealed that the size of residual disease and ascites were independent factors of survival. However, only ascites was the prognostic factor of progression-free survival. Optimal cytoreductive surgery is an important determinant of survival in women with stageIV epithelial ovarian cancer, mainly in those with malignant pleural effusion

Full Text Available Abstract Background In recent decades, melanoma incidence has been increasing in European countries; in 2006, there were approximately 60,000 cases leading to 13,000 deaths. Within Europe there is some geographical variation in the incidence of melanoma, with the highest rates reported in Scandinavia (15 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year and the lowest in the Mediterranean countries (5 to 7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Methods The present article is based on the information collected in the MELODY study (MELanoma treatment patterns and Outcomes among patients with unresectable stage III or stageIV Disease: a retrospective longitudinal survey. In that study, the medical charts of patients were reviewed to document current treatment patterns and to analyse information on patients, disease characteristics and healthcare resource utilization related to the treatment of advanced melanoma regarding patients who presented with a diagnosis of malignant melanoma (stage I to IV at participating sites between 01 July, 2005 and 30 June, 2006. Results Summarizing, though the length of the follow-up period varies among sample patients, an amount of the yearly cost per patient can be estimated, dividing the average per patient total cost (€ 5.040 by the average follow-up duration (17.5 months and reporting to one year; on these grounds, unresectable stage III or stageIV melanoma in Italy would cost € 3,456 per patient per year.

Full Text Available An eight year old girl presented with a progressively increasing deformity of the left proximal tibia since last 2 years. She had no history of trauma, fever and swelling of left knee. There were no obvious signs of rickets/muscular dystrophy. She had 25 degrees of tibia vara clinically with lateral thrust and a prominent fibular head. The radiograph of left knee revealed tibia vara with medial beaking and a significant depression of the medial tibial epiphysis and metaphysis. A computed tomography (CTscan revealed significant depression of the medial tibial epiphysis but no bony bar in the physis or fusion of the medical tibial epiphysis. There was a posterior slope in addition to the medial one. She was treated with elevation of the medial tibial hemiplateau with subtuberosity valgus derotation dome osteotomy. She also underwent a lateral proximal tibial hemiphysiodesis (temporary stapling. A prophylactic subcutaneons anterolateral compartment fasciotomy was also performed. All osteotomies united in 2 months. All deformities were corrected and she regained a knee range of 0 to 130 degrees. At final followup (4 years, there was no recurrence of varus deformity, knee was stable, with 1cm of leg length discrepancy. In Langenskiold stageIV tibia vara, elevation of medial tibial plateau, a subtuberosity valgus derotation osteotomy and a concomitant lateral hemiephiphysiodesis has given good results.

Full Text Available The efficiency of treatment was evaluated and the predictors of adjusted survival (AS were identified in patients with disseminated kidney cancer treated at the Republican Research and Practical Center for Oncology and Medical Radiology in 1999 to 2011 (A.E. Okeanov, P.I. Moiseev, L.F. Levin. Malignant tumors in Belarus, 2001–2012. Edited by O.G. Sukonko. Seven factors (regional lymph node metastases; distant bone metastases; a high-grade tumor; sarcomatous tumor differentiation; hemoglobin levels of < 125 g/l in women and < 150 g/l in men; an erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 40 mm/h; palliative surgery were found to have an independent, unfavorable impact on AS. A multidimensional model was built to define what risk group low (no more than 2 poor factors, moderate (3–4 poor factors, and high (more than 4 poor factors the patients with StageIV kidney cancer belonged to. In these groups, the median survival was 34.7, 17.2, and 4.0 months and 3-year AS rates were 48.6, 24.6, and 3.2 %, respectively.

The high risk group of patients with neuroblastoma are children over 1 year with stageIV disease. Most series report a maximum of 20% survival at 5 years. For recurrent neuroblastoma stageIV, cure rates are not reported in the literature, but they are nil. Any treatment for recurrent neuroblastoma

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), owing to its insensitivity to chemotherapy, has a poor prognosis, with a median survival of 3 years to 4 years. MCL frequently infiltrates other organs. However, reports involving kidney in living patients are rare. Here, we report a case of MCL with renal involvement leading to end stage renal disease that required renal replacement therapy. A 69-year-old man diagnosed with MCL 3 years earlier was admitted to our emergency room due to uremic symptoms. After eight cycles of chemotherapy, he had displayed complete remission, but experienced a recurrence 1.5 years later; after refusing chemotherapy, the patient was lost on follow-up in the final 10 months. On presentation at the emergency room, the patient's serum blood urea nitrogen was 109.5 mg/dL, and creatinine was 11.1 mg/dL. All serological markers for secondary glomerulonephritis were negative. Renal biopsy revealed 50% sclerosis of the glomerulus and small dense lymphocyte infiltration of the tubulo-interstitium. Similar cells were found on the gastric mucosa. Despite our recommendation for chemotherapy, he refused all treatments except for hemodialysis, which was maintained for 12 months until his death. This patient represents the first case report of the renal involvement of MCL leading to end stage renal disease.

By December 2007, the EC will have to submit a new proposal for StageIV emissions limits for Non-Road Mobile Machinery. Industry is committed to contributing to this process and has asked AVL to carry out a study as a neutral engineering company. The main topics of this study are described in this article. (orig.)

Full Text Available Altai collision system of Hercynides was formed in Late Paleozoic as a result of oblique collision of Siberian continent and Kazakhstan composed terrane [Vladimirov et al., 2003; 2008; Xiao et al., 2010]. At the late stages of its evolution (time interval from 310–300 to 280–270 Ma the huge different mafic and felsic magmatism occurred at the territory (Fig. 1 [Vladimirov et al., 2008; Khromykh et al., 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016; Kotler et al., 2015; Sokolova et al., 2016]. It is evident about increased thermal gradient in lithosphere and about significant role of mantle and active manifestation of mantle-crust interactions. Some magmatic complexes may be considered as indicators of mantle-crust interaction processes.

Observations during research involving the Bruce Treadmill Test (BTMT) indicating that Stage III for females and StageIV for males represented speeds which are intermediate between comfortable walking and confortable jogging for many subjects, prompted this study to determine ways to obtain more consistent group results. Twenty-eight subjects…

Surgical therapy in patients with stageIV melanoma is controversial and always an individual decision. We report the case of a young melanoma patient, who underwent resection of 5 distant metastases from 4 different organ systems. Thereby, the patient achieved a stable state of disease and a good quality of life for up to now 67 months without any evidence for further tumor manifestations at present. A systemic chemo- or immunotherapy was never applied. In selected patients with stageIV melanoma, surgery alone can provide long-term survival with good quality of life. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

Full Text Available Carlos BM Monteiro,1 Geert JP Savelsbergh,2 Ana RP Smorenburg,3 Zodja Graciani,4 Camila Torriani-Pasin,5 Luiz Carlos de Abreu,6 Vitor E Valenti,7 Fernando Kok41School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; 2MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; 3Burke-Cornell Medical Research Institute, White Plains, NY, USA; 4Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; 5Motor Behavior Laboratory, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; 6Laboratory of Scientific Writing, Department of Morphology and Physiology, School of Medicine of ABC, Santo Andre, Brazil; 7Department of Speech Language and Hearing Therapy, Faculty of Philosophy and Sciences, UNESP, Marilia, BrazilAbstract: We aimed to evaluate the functional abilities of persons with Rett syndrome (RTT in stages III and IV. The group consisted of 60 females who had been diagnosed with RTT: 38 in stage III, mean age (years of 9.14, with a standard deviation of 5.84 (minimum 2.2/maximum 26.4; and 22 in stageIV, mean age of 12.45, with a standard deviation of 6.17 (minimum 5.3/maximum 26.9. The evaluation was made using the Pediatric ­Evaluation of Disability Inventory, which has 197 items in the areas of self-care, mobility, and social function. The results showed that in the area of self-care, stage III and stageIV RTT persons had a level of 24.12 and 18.36 (P=0.002, respectively. In the area of mobility, stage III had 37.22 and stageIV had 14.64 (P<0.001, while in the area of social function, stage III had 17.72 and stageIV had 12.14 (P=0.016. In conclusion, although persons with stage III RTT have better functional abilities when compared with stageIV, the areas of mobility, self-care, and social function are quite affected, which shows a great functional dependency and need for help in basic activities of daily life.Keywords: Rett syndrome, disability

The effect of deformation-induced disorientations on the work-hardening of metals is modelled based on dislocation dynamics. Essentially, Kocks’ dislocation model describing stage III hardening is extended to stageIV by incorporation of excess dislocations related to the disorientations....... Disorientations evolving from purely statistical reasons — leading to a square root dependence of the average disorientation angle on strain — affect the initial work-hardening rate (and the saturation stress) of stage III only slightly. On the other hand, deterministic contributions to the development...... of disorientations, as differences in the activated slip systems across boundaries, cause a linear increase of the flow stress at large strains. Such a constant work-hardening rate is characteristic for stageIV....

Full Text Available Background: To investigate false negative rate in the diagnosis of diastasis on initial static anteroposterior radiograph and reliability of intraoperative external rotational stress test for detection of concealed disruption of syndesmosis in pronation external rotation (PER stageIV (Lauge-Hansen ankle fractures. Materials and Methods: We prospectively studied 34 PER stageIV ankle fractures between September 2001 and September 2008. Twenty (59% patients show syndesmotic injury on initial anteroposterior radiographs. We performed an intraoperative external rotation stress test in other 14 patients with suspicious PER stageIV ankle fractures, which showed no defined syndesmotic injury on anteroposterior radiographs inspite of a medial malleolar fracture, an oblique fibular fracture above the syndesmosis and fracture of the posterior tubercle of the tibia. Results: All 14 fractures showed different degrees of tibiofibular clear space (TFCS and tibiofibular overlapping (TFO on the external rotation stress test radiograph compared to the initial plain anteroposterior radiograph. It is important to understand the fracture pattern characterstic of PER stageIV ankle fractures even though it appears normal on anteroposterior radiographs, it is to be confirmed for the concealed syndesmotic injury through a routine intraoperative external rotational stress radiograph.

De novo stageIV breast cancer patients (BC IV ) depict a clinical picture not influenced by adjuvant therapy. Therefore, the time-dependent impact of changes in diagnostics and treatments on progression and survival can best be evaluated in this subgroup. BC IV patients from 1978 to 2013 registered in the Munich Cancer Registry were divided into four periods, and the trends were analysed. Survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier methods, and prognostic factors were fitted with Cox proportional hazard models. Between 1978 and 2013, 88,759 patients were diagnosed with 92,807 cases of invasive and non-invasive BC. Of these patients, 4756 patients had distant metastases (MET) at diagnosis. The 5-year survival rate improved from 17.4 to 24.7%, while the pattern of metastases did not change. Improved staging diagnostics, a screening programme and primary systemic therapy changed the composition of prognostic strata. Patients with a similar composition as the 1978-1987 cohort exhibited a median survival difference of 13 months; however, neither univariate nor multivariate analysis showed a survival effect for the four periods as a surrogate indicator for changing treatments. HER2+ patients have with 27.6 months a slightly longer survival than all other BC IV patients. Survival of de novo BC IV has only modestly improved since the late 1970s, partially masked by changing distributions of prognostic factors due to changes in diagnostics.

This paper presents a clinical and functional assessment of the cases of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) treated with small mosaicplasty type osteochondral grafts. Between 1999 and 2004, we operated on 12 knees with OCD stages III and IV. They were assessed using the International Cartilage Research Society (ICRS) scale, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scale, X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The study was carried out using a clinical series, was retrospective and had a level of evidence of 4. Before surgery, all patients were in classes III and IV on the ICRS scale (four in class III and eight in class IV). At the time of surgery, the patient age was 27.5 ± 7.9 years, with male predominance (75%). Eleven of the cases were assessed as classes I and II on the ICRS scale (seven in class I and four in class II), with one patient in class IV. X-ray assessment was less favourable, revealing alterations in the articular space in 75% of cases. The results show that this technique enables the biological fixation of fragments and, functionally, the clinical results obtained were very good. The osteochondral grafts avoid the implantation of foreign material and make use of bone fragments of the same rigidity as the OCD fragment. We conclude that the technique described is an excellent alternative to the techniques normally used for the fixation of stage III and IV OCD. PMID:18038231

StageIV melanoma exhibits a diverse range of tumor biology from indolent to aggressive disease. Many important prognostic factors have already been identified. Despite this, the behavior of metastatic melanoma remains difficult to predict. We sought to determine if any primary tumor characteristics affect survival following the diagnosis of stageIV melanoma. All patients diagnosed with stageIV melanoma between January 2003 and December 2012 were identified from the Victorian Melanoma Service database. Retrospective chart review was performed to collect data on primary tumor characteristics (thickness, ulceration, mitotic rate, melanoma subtype, or occult primary). Known and suspected prognostic factors were additionally collected (time to diagnosis of stageIV disease, age, sex, stage, receipt of chemotherapy, and era of recurrence). The effect of primary tumor characteristics on overall survival from the date of diagnosis of stageIV disease was assessed. A total of 227 patients with a median follow-up of 5 years from diagnosis of stageIV disease were identified. Median overall survival of the cohort was 250 days.Of the primary tumor characteristics assessed, only tumor thickness affected survival from diagnosis of stageIV disease, hazard ratio=1.09 (1.02 to 1.16), P=0.008. This remained significant in multivariate analysis, P=0.007. Other primary tumor characteristics did not significantly influence survival. Primary tumor thickness is a significant prognostic factor in stageIV melanoma. Our data suggest that the biology of the primary melanoma may persist to influence the behavior of metastatic disease.

Ovarian fragments from Xenopus laevis were incubated with various concentrations of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and StageIV oocytes were subsequently tested for their ability to incorporate vitellogenin. Such oocytes displayed incorporation rates up to 350% greater than controls. This was accompanied by increased endocytotic activity. hCG-stimulated uptake is dose dependent and reaches a maximum at 100 IU/ml, at which concentration ovulation also occurs. At 100 IU/ml of hCG, there is a lag period of at least 12 h between gonadotropin treatment and increased vitellogenin incorporation. Because hCG has little effect on isolated (dissected) cultured StageIV oocytes which have lost their follicle cells, it is postulated that intact follicle cells are required for the induction of vitellogenin uptake

The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate CA-125 and a 7-marker panel as predictors of incomplete primary cytoreduction in patients with stage III/IV ovarian cancer (OC). From September 2004 to January 2008, serum from 201 patients referred to surgery for a pelvic tumor was analyzed...... for CA-125. In addition, serum was analyzed for 7 biomarkers using surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. These biomarkers were combined into a single-valued ovarian-cancer-risk index (OvaRI). CA-125 and OvaRI were evaluated as predictors of cytoreduction in 75...... stage III/IV patients using receiver operating characteristic curves. Complete primary cytoreduction (no macroscopic residual disease) was achieved in 31% (23/75) of the patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.66 for CA-125 and 0.75 for OvaRI. The sensitivity...

To evaluate the efficacy of HangAm-Plus (HAP) on stageIV metastatic gastric cancer by analyzing the treated patients' overall survival outcome. Following the study eligibility, overall survival and one year survival rate of 44 stageIV metastatic gastric cancer patients who visited East-West Cancer Center (EWCC) were analyzed. The study consisted of two arms: HAP treatment only (n=18) and combined treatment of concurrent conventional chemotherapy and HAP (n=26). Patient characteristics by gender, age, surgical intervention, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, treatment duration (HAP group (5.1 months). One-year survival rate of combined treatment group and HAP group was 38.5%±9.5% and 33.3%±11.1%, respectively (P>0.05). One-year survival rate of those received more and less than 4-week treatment was 57.1%±18.7% and 8.3%±8.0%, respectively (P=0.001). The study supports the safety and potential efficacy of HAP treatment in prevention of chemo-related side effects for stageIV metastatic gastric cancer treated with conventional chemotherapy. Further studies are needed to investigate and confirm the results before applying the treatment in clinical settings.

Pretherapeutic informations furnished by surgery and histopathology are of special importance for the local high voltage therapy of the operated ovarial carcinoma. The intraoperative state does not only confirm the diagnosis, but also reveals the full biologic extension of the tumor and, thus, the correct staging. Supplementary radiodiagnostic examinations are necessary if the informations furnished by the surgeon are not complete. Between Feb 1977 and Feb 1981, we treated 55 patients suffering from ovarial carcinomas with a combined simultaneous radio-chemotherapy (45 patients with stage III and 10 with stageIV). The first operations had been performed at gynecologic depts. of other hospitals in 60% of all cases, at surgical depts. of other hospitals in 20% of all cases and at the II. Gynecologic Clinic of Vienna Univ. in only 20% of all cases. The definitive staging was established by postoperative analyses of X-ray views of the chest, liver-spleen scintigrams, ultrasonic examination, computed tomography, lymphoscintigraphy and lymphography. 36 women were submitted to an early therapeutic second operation. In most of all cases the retroperitoneal manifestations were correctly recognized by the different radiodiagnostic methods; histopathology was superior in only 8% of all cases. The rate of retroperitoneal metastases is 45% out of the total collective and 40% out of patients in stage III. With the therapy method applied, the survival time does not depend upon the retroperitoneal state as long as there are no tumor manifestations with a maximum diameter of more than 2 cm. The liver metastases described after the first operation do not necessarily correspond to such manifestations; often they are rather tumorous peritoneal layers. More attention should be given to the state of the subdiaphragmatic region, because manifestations in this region are an unfavorable diagnostic factor. Patients in stage III have possibly still curative chances.

To see the various hematological changes in the bone marrow of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage III, IV and V. Study Design: Cross sectional observational study.Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted in the department of haematology (Pathology), Army Medical College, Rawalpindi and duration was one year, from Mar 2015 to Feb 2016. Material and Methods: Patients of both sexes and all age groups with CKD stage III, IV and V were included in this study. Patients' histories were recorded. Complete blood counts, bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy were done and evaluated microscopically. Mean blood counts of the patients in three groups of CKD were compared. Frequencies of various bone marrow (BM) findings in patients of CKD were calculated. Results: Out of 57 patients, 41 (71.9%) were males while 16 (28%) were females. Mean age was 60 years. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean hemoglobin, mean white cell count and mean platelets count of the patients in three groups of CKD. Reactive changes due to underlying CKD and inflammation were the most frequent findings in the BM of the patients. Conclusion: Anaemia of mild to moderate severity and reactive changes in the BM are the most frequent haematological findings encountered in patients suffering from advanced stage CKD. Since CKD is predominantly a disease of the elderly so it is not rare to find the co-morbidities including plasmacytosis, malignancies and their effects on the BM in patients of CKD. (author)

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Radionecrosis (post-radiotherapy laryngeal submucosal inflammation and necrosis is a complication of (chemo radiotherapy for hypopharyngeal cancer that is difficult to differentiate from tumor recurrence. Case presentation A 67-year-old Japanese man presented with a condition extremely difficult to diagnose differentially as radionecrosis or tumor recurrence after radiotherapy for hypopharyngeal cancer. Although tumor recurrence was suspected from clinical conditions and computed tomography findings, pathologic analysis revealed no evidence of tumor recurrence, and successful therapy with steroids and antibiotics reduced the mucosal edema. Conclusion Our findings emphasize the wide spectrum of radiographic presentation of radionecrosis after chemoradiation of stageIV hypopharyngeal cancer.

Full Text Available Papillary cystadenoma of the epididymis (PCE is the second most common benign neoplasm of the epididymis [1]. It is very uncommon and has never been reported in a prepubertal male. It may occur sporadically, but more often occurs in association with von Hippel- Lindau (VHL disease [2]. There have been over 60 reports of patients with such tumors, with the youngest patient being 16 years old.We present the case of a 12- year old male with a history of stageIV neuroblastoma. He presented with a left paratesticular mass that was discovered on routine follow up physical exam with his pediatric oncologist. He was asymptomatic at the time of presentation with no signs or symptoms of hypoandrogenism. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis was negative for lymphadenopathy and additional disease sites. Given the patient's history of stageIV neuroblastoma, there was suspicion of yolk sac tumor or metastases; he underwent an open radical left orchiectomy. Frozen section was consistent with yolk sac tumor, however final pathology revealed normal testicle with PCE.To date, this patient is the youngest reported patient with this diagnosis; furthermore papillary cystadenoma of the epididymis has never been reported in a patient with neuroblastoma. Keywords: Papillary cystadenoma, Epididymis, Prepubertal male, Neuroblastoma

Full Text Available The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC staging system (8th edition for prostate cancer has been published. The current study seeks to validate the prognostic performance of the changes in the new system among clinically staged prostate cancer patients registered within the surveillance, epidemiology and end results (SEER database.SEER database (2004-2014 has been accessed through SEER*Stat program and AJCC 7th and 8th edition stages were calculated utilizing T, N and M stages as well as baseline prostatic specific antigen (PSA and grade group. Cancer-specific and overall survival analyses according to 6th, 7th and 8th editions were conducted through Kaplan-Meier analysis. Moreover, multivariate analysis was conducted through a Cox proportional hazard model.A total of 110499 patients with prostate cancer were identified in the period from 2004-2014.For cancer- specific survival according to 8th AJCC, all pair wise P values for comparison were significant (<0.01 except for stage IIA vs. IIB; while for overall survival according to 8th AJCC, all pair wise P values for comparison were significant (<0.02 except for stage IIIA vs. IIIB. Results of c-index assessment for cancer-specific survival for the three AJCC editions were as follows: c-index for AJCC 6th edition was 0.816; c-index for AJCC 7th edition was 0.897; c-index for AJCC 8th edition was 0.907. For stage IVB prostate cancer (i.e.M1 disease, further sub-staging was proposed according to M1 sub-stage (i.e. M1a, M1b and M1c. Pair wise comparison between these proposed sub-stages was conducted for both cancer-specific and overall survival. For both cancer-specific and overall survival, all pair wise P values for comparisons were <0.0001.Compared to older staging systems (6th and 7th, the 8th system is more discriminatory. Further sub-classification of stageIV disease is suggested.

cancer (p = 0.04) but not on those with rectal cancer (p = 0.91). Anastomotic leak was followed by the decreased administration of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with colon cancer (p = 0.007) but not in patients with rectal cancer (p = 0.47). Finally, anastomotic leak had a detrimental impact...... on metastasectomy rates after colon cancer but not on resection rates of rectal cancer. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective data on the selection criteria for primary tumor resection and metastatic tumor load were unavailable. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of anastomotic leak on patients differed between stageIV colon and rectal...... cancers. Survival and eligibility to receive chemotherapy and metastasectomy differed between patients with colon and rectal cancers. When planning for primary tumor resection, these factors should be considered....

The BigBOSS experiment is a proposed DOE-NSF StageIV ground-based dark energy experiment to study baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) and the growth of structure with an all-sky galaxy redshift survey. The project is designed to unlock the mystery of dark energy using existing ground-based facilities operated by NOAO. A new 4000-fiber R=5000 spectrograph covering a 3-degree diameter field will measure BAO and redshift space distortions in the distribution of galaxies and hydrogen gas spanning redshifts from 0.2< z< 3.5. The Dark Energy Task Force figure of merit (DETF FoM) for this experiment is expected to be equal to that of a JDEM mission for BAO with the lower risk and cost typical of a ground-based experiment.

Background: in patients with advanced-stage III/IV follicular lymphoma (FL), there are many treatment options available. The current challenge is to choose the optimal strategy for the individual patient. Methods: the literature was reviewed with respect to treatment strategies in patients with advanced FL by screening the PubMed databank. Results: in advanced-stage III/IV FL, median survival may approach 8-10 years. Treatment strategies include a watch-and-wait strategy, chemoimmunotherapy, monotherapy with rituximab, and - as an experimental approach so far - radioimmunotherapy. The use of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for patients in first remission or chemosensitive relapse prolongs progression-free survival while the effect on overall survival remains unclear compared to standard chemotherapy. However, long-term results are flawed by high relapse rates and risk of secondary malignancies. In patients with relapsed/chemoresistant disease, allogeneic HSCT constitutes the only curative approach but is associated with high treatment-related mortality. In the palliative setting, low-dose involved-field irradiation constitutes an effective treatment option in order to control local symptoms with potential long-lasting response. Conclusion: in case of advanced-disease FL, asymptomatic patients can be managed expectantly. In symptomatic patients, chemoimmunotherapy is regarded as standard therapy. In symptomatic elderly patients with relevant comorbidities, rituximab {+-} single-agent chemotherapy, or low-dose involved-field radiotherapy might be appropriate. For younger patients with chemoresistant/relapsed disease, allogeneic HSCT might be considered, since advances in supportive care and better patient selection have resulted in improved outcomes. (orig.)

Approximately 20% of patients with colorectal cancer have metastases at the time of presentation. Such patients are often offered systemic chemotherapy but debate continues as to whether these patients benefit from resection of the primary tumour. We describe our ten years experience of managing the primary tumours in patients with stageIV colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to describe the overall survival of patients undergoing surgery in these circumstances and to determine whether any prognostic indicators could be identified. 920 consecutive patients presenting with stageIV colorectal cancer disease were identified from the Leicester Colorectal Cancer database. Patients undergoing resection of the primary tumour (Resection Group) with the residual metastatic disease were compared to those patients who had not their primary tumour excised (Non-Resection Group). Various different variables in two groups were compared by using Mann-Whitney U test. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank test were used to compare the overall survivals. Univariate analysis was performed for each group to elicit the significant prognostic factors whereas Cox regression model was used to identify the independent predictors of overall survival. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of two groups showed prolonged survival for Resection Group compared to the Non-Resection Group (median; 14.5 Vs 5.83 months, p = fixity, ASA grade, mode of surgery, post-operative chemotherapy and sites of metastasis as significant factors (p fixity (p = 0.012) and lymph nodal involvement (p = 0.042) were independent predictors for overall survival. Treatment with post-operative chemotherapy and a smaller volume of liver metastases were associated with prolonged survival (p fixity and ASA grade can help to decide the patients who will benefit from surgery. Copyright (c) 2010 Surgical Associates Ltd. All rights reserved.

Primary ablative surgery followed by post-op radiotherapy (S-RT) remains the mainstay of treatment for stage III-stageIV oral carcinoma. A retrospective analysis of survival rates of advanced-stage OSCC patients treated with multimodal therapies (S-RT or combined chemoradiation) was performed to analyse the outcome for patient survival and whether addition of adjuvant chemotherapy (S-CRT) improves survival. Demographic, pathological, treatment and follow-up data of 128 patients were included in the study. Sixty-nine patients received S-RT, while 55 patients were opted for S-CRT. Overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival were estimated with Kaplan-Meier analysis and compared between groups with Cox regression analysis. Survival was significantly influenced by the type of modality and regional spread of disease. S-CRT group had improved overall, disease-specific, disease-free and metastasis-free survival compared to S-RT group. A survival advantage of 10% was achieved in S-CRT group compared to S-RT group even in patients with extracapsular spread and perineural invasion. Addition of adjuvant chemotherapy to S-RT improves survival outcomes in advanced OSCC, especially in patients with regional spread of disease.

We present the whole-rock and the mineral chemical data for upper mantle peridotites from the Harmancık region in NW Turkey and discuss their petrogenetic-tectonic origin. These peridotites are part of a Tethyan ophiolite belt occurring along the İzmir-Ankara-Ercincan suture zone in northern Turkey, and include depleted lherzolites and refractory harzburgites. The Al2O3 contents in orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene from the depleted lherzolite are high, and the Cr-number in the coexisting spinel is low falling within the abyssal field. However, the orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene in the harzburgites have lower Al2O3 contents for a given Cr-number of spinel, and plot within the lower end of the abyssal field. The whole-rock geochemical and the mineral chemistry data imply that the Harmancık peridotites formed by different degrees of partial melting (~%10-27) of the mantle. The depleted lherzolite samples have higher MREE and HREE abundances than the harzburgitic peridotites, showing convex-downward patterns. These peridotites represent up to ~16 % melting residue that formed during the initial seafloor spreading stage of the Northern Neotethys. On the other hand, the more refractory harzburgites represent residues after ~4-11 % hydrous partial melting of the previously depleted MOR mantle, which was metasomatized by slab-derived fluids during the early stages of subduction. The Harmancık peridotites, hence, represent the fragments of upper mantle rocks that formed during different stages of the tectonic evolution of the Tethyan oceanic lithosphere in Northern Neotethys. We infer that the multi-stage melting history of the Harmancık peridotites reflect the geochemically heterogeneous character of the Tethyan oceanic lithosphere currently exposed along the İzmir-Ankara-Erzincan suture zone.

Full Text Available Objective: To assess the influence of the position of the mold during the setting stage of type IV stone plaster Durone (Dentsply Ind. Com., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the following properties: surface hardness and roughness. Methods: For the roughness test, two groups (n=6 in the form of pellets were prepared. In the first group, the surface of the base of the device was turned down during the plaster setting stage (N, in the second group this position was inverted, which has been described as an act of capsize it (E. For analysis, a roughness meter with reading precision of 0.01 μm was used. With regard to the hardness analysis, two groups with conical-shaped samples were obtained. The plasters were left to set under the same conditions of the mold/model position described for the previous experiment. Hardness measurement was performed in a durometer with a spherical penetrating tip for Rockwell readout. Three measurements were performed for each test specimen in both tests. Results: The hardness (N - 39.8, standard deviation = 3.3, E - 30.8, standard deviation = 5.6 and roughness data (N - 0.67, standard deviation = 0.17, E - 0.74, standard deviation = 0.13 submitted to the Student’s-t test (5% showed no statistically significant differences for the roughness test (0.489, but showed statistically significant differences for the hardness test (0.014. Conclusion: The variation in the mold/model position influenced the final characteristics of the specimens in terms of hardness, since those obtained with the capsize technique showed lower surface hardness, whereas for roughness these differences were not statistically significant.

The effects of intracellular insulin on protein synthesis were examined in intact cells and isolated, undiluted cellular components. [35S]Methionine incorporation into protein was measured in StageIV oocytes from Xenopus laevis maintained under paraffin oil. Radiolabel and insulin were introduced into the cytoplasm by microinjection. After a short delay (approximately 15 min), injected insulin stimulated the rate of methionine incorporation. Stimulation was dose-dependent, increasing with injected doses in the 7-50-fmol range. Neither proinsulin nor insulin-like growth factor 1 were as effective as insulin in stimulating protein synthesis; microinjected epidermal growth factor and the A and B chains of insulin were without effect. When oocyte surface membranes were removed under oil, the resulting cytoplasm-nucleus samples exhibited methionine incorporation rates that were comparable to those found in intact cells. Microinjection of insulin increased rates of methionine incorporation in cytoplasm-nucleus samples; the effects of external (prior to transfer to oil) and internal (microinjection in oil) insulin exposure were additive. Cytoplasm samples (nuclei and surface membranes removed under oil) also synthesized protein and responded to microinjected insulin. However, insulin responses were reduced relative to cells and to cytoplasm-nucleus samples. 125I-Insulin was degraded rapidly after microinjection into oocytes. Degradation occurred in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Degradation was delayed by injecting bacitracin into the cells and delaying degradation increased the effectiveness of a low dose of injected insulin

From April 1986 until May 1989. 112 patients with stages III and IV oropharynx carcinomas were included in a protocol comparing the use of Hyperfractionation and Conventional Fractionation. The doses were 6600 rad in 33 fractions of 200 rad for the conventional fractionation and 7040 rad in 64 fractions, two fractions of 110 rad per day for the hyperfractionation. As of January 1990 an analysis was performed in 98 patients, with a median follow-up of 14 months. The probability of complete responses in the oropharynx was 74%, with 84% for the hyperfractionation and 64% for the conventional fractionation ( p < 0,05). Survival was improved in 42 months for those patients treated with hyperfractionation: 27% versus 8% (p < 0,05). In patients with lesions out of the base of the tongue and in those with Karnofsky performance status of 50%, 60% and 70%, survival was improved with the use of hyperfractionation (p = 0,02 and p 0,006 respectively. The study demonstrates the superiority of hyperfractionation over the classical fractionation in the treatment of patients with carcinoma of the oropharynx. (author)

Conclusion: CRT did not result in significant reverse remodeling in patients with inotrope-dependent class IV end-stage HF. However, it contributed to dramatically improve the cardiovascular outcomes at least in the short-term period in some patients.

Anastomotic leak has a negative impact on the prognosis of patients who undergo colorectal cancer resection. However, data on anastomotic leak are limited for stageIV colorectal cancers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of anastomotic leak on survival and the decision to administer chemotherapy and/or metastasectomy after elective surgery for stageIV colorectal cancer. This was a nationwide, retrospective cohort study. Data were obtained from the Danish Colorectal Cancer Group, the Danish Pathology Registry, and the National Patient Registry. Patients who were diagnosed with stageIV colorectal cancer between 2009 and 2013 and underwent elective resection of their primary tumors were included. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality depending on the occurrence of anastomotic leak. Secondary outcomes were the administration of and time to adjuvant chemotherapy, metastasectomy rate, and risk factors for leak. Of the 774 patients with stageIV colorectal cancer who were included, 71 (9.2%) developed anastomotic leaks. Anastomotic leak had a significant impact on the long-term survival of patients with colon cancer (p = 0.04) but not on those with rectal cancer (p = 0.91). Anastomotic leak was followed by the decreased administration of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with colon cancer (p = 0.007) but not in patients with rectal cancer (p = 0.47). Finally, anastomotic leak had a detrimental impact on metastasectomy rates after colon cancer but not on resection rates of rectal cancer. Retrospective data on the selection criteria for primary tumor resection and metastatic tumor load were unavailable. The impact of anastomotic leak on patients differed between stageIV colon and rectal cancers. Survival and eligibility to receive chemotherapy and metastasectomy differed between patients with colon and rectal cancers. When planning for primary tumor resection, these factors should be considered.

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chemo-radiotherapy offers an alternative to primary surgery and adjuvant therapy for the management of locally advanced stageIV squamous cell carcinomas of the tonsil. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of the outcomes of 41 patients with locoregionally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil treated non-surgically at the Yorkshire Cancer Centre between January 2004 and December 2005. Due to long radiotherapy waiting times, patients received induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil followed by either cisplatin concurrent chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy alone. Results Median age was 55 years (range 34-76 years and 28 (68% patients were male. 35/41 patients (85% received 2 or more cycles of induction chemotherapy. Following induction chemotherapy, 32/41 patients (78% had a clinical response. Concomitant chemotherapy was given to 30/41 (73%. All patients received the planned radiotherapy dose with no delays. There were no treatment related deaths. Six (15% patients had gastrostomy tubes placed before treatment, and 22 (54% required nasogastric tube placement during or after treatment for nutritional support. 17 patients required unplanned admissions during treatment for supportive care. At 4 months post treatment assessment 35 out of 41 (85% patients achieved complete clinical and radiographic response. Median follow-up is 38 months (8-61 months. Local and regional control rate in complete responders at 3 years was 91%. Distant metastases have been found in 4 (9.8% patients. Three year progression-free survival rate in all patients is 75%. The 3-year cause specific survival and overall survival are 75% and 66% respectively. Conclusion Cisplatin-based induction and concurrent chemoradiotherapy provides excellent tumour control with acceptable toxicity for patients with locally advanced tonsillar cancer.

No validated prognostic tool is available for predicting overall survival (OS) of patients with well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (WDNETs). This study, conducted in three independent cohorts of patients from five different European countries, aimed to develop and validate a classification prognostic score for OS in patients with stageIV WDNETs. We retrospectively collected data on 1387 patients: (i) patients treated at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori (Milan, Italy; n=515); (ii) European cohort of rare NET patients included in the European RARECAREnet database (n=457); (iii) Italian multicentric cohort of pancreatic NET (pNETs) patients treated at 24 Italian institutions (n=415). The score was developed using data from patients included in cohort (i) (training set); external validation was performed by applying the score to the data of the two independent cohorts (ii) and (iii) evaluating both calibration and discriminative ability (Harrell C statistic). We used data on age, primary tumor site, metastasis (synchronous vs metachronous), Ki67, functional status and primary surgery to build the score, which was developed for classifying patients into three groups with differential 10-year OS: I) Favorable-risk group: 10-year OS ≥70%; II) Intermediate-risk group: 30% ≤10-year OS OS <30%. The Harrell C statistic was 0.661 in the training set, and 0.626 and 0.601 in the RARECAREnet and Italian multicentric validation sets, respectively. In conclusion, based on the analysis of three 'field-practice' cohorts collected in different settings, we defined and validated a prognostic score to classify patients into three groups with different long-term prognoses.

Nivolumab and ipilimumab are immune checkpoint inhibitors that have been approved for the treatment of advanced melanoma. In the United States, ipilimumab has also been approved as adjuvant therapy for melanoma on the basis of recurrence-free and overall survival rates that were higher than those with placebo in a phase 3 trial. We wanted to determine the efficacy of nivolumab versus ipilimumab for adjuvant therapy in patients with resected advanced melanoma. In this randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned 906 patients (≥15 years of age) who were undergoing complete resection of stage IIIB, IIIC, or IV melanoma to receive an intravenous infusion of either nivolumab at a dose of 3 mg per kilogram of body weight every 2 weeks (453 patients) or ipilimumab at a dose of 10 mg per kilogram every 3 weeks for four doses and then every 12 weeks (453 patients). The patients were treated for a period of up to 1 year or until disease recurrence, a report of unacceptable toxic effects, or withdrawal of consent. The primary end point was recurrence-free survival in the intention-to-treat population. At a minimum follow-up of 18 months, the 12-month rate of recurrence-free survival was 70.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 66.1 to 74.5) in the nivolumab group and 60.8% (95% CI, 56.0 to 65.2) in the ipilimumab group (hazard ratio for disease recurrence or death, 0.65; 97.56% CI, 0.51 to 0.83; Pmelanoma, adjuvant therapy with nivolumab resulted in significantly longer recurrence-free survival and a lower rate of grade 3 or 4 adverse events than adjuvant therapy with ipilimumab. (Funded by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceutical; CheckMate 238 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02388906 ; Eudra-CT number, 2014-002351-26 .).

Chemo-radiotherapy offers an alternative to primary surgery and adjuvant therapy for the management of locally advanced stageIV squamous cell carcinomas of the tonsil. A retrospective analysis was performed of the outcomes of 41 patients with locoregionally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil treated non-surgically at the Yorkshire Cancer Centre between January 2004 and December 2005. Due to long radiotherapy waiting times, patients received induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil followed by either cisplatin concurrent chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy alone. Median age was 55 years (range 34-76 years) and 28 (68%) patients were male. 35/41 patients (85%) received 2 or more cycles of induction chemotherapy. Following induction chemotherapy, 32/41 patients (78%) had a clinical response. Concomitant chemotherapy was given to 30/41 (73%). All patients received the planned radiotherapy dose with no delays. There were no treatment related deaths. Six (15%) patients had gastrostomy tubes placed before treatment, and 22 (54%) required nasogastric tube placement during or after treatment for nutritional support. 17 patients required unplanned admissions during treatment for supportive care. At 4 months post treatment assessment 35 out of 41 (85%) patients achieved complete clinical and radiographic response. Median follow-up is 38 months (8-61 months). Local and regional control rate in complete responders at 3 years was 91%. Distant metastases have been found in 4 (9.8%) patients. Three year progression-free survival rate in all patients is 75%. The 3-year cause specific survival and overall survival are 75% and 66% respectively. Cisplatin-based induction and concurrent chemoradiotherapy provides excellent tumour control with acceptable toxicity for patients with locally advanced tonsillar cancer

Full Text Available Mantle cell lymphoma is a type of no-Hodgkin lymphoma that affects extranodal areas, especially, bone narrow, digestive tract and Waldeyer ring. Here we report a case of mantle cell lymphoma IV Ann Arbor stage with cutaneous lesions on nasal dorsum and gland as the first manifestations. Skin involvement is a very rare manifestation and less than 20 cases have been reported in the literature. The importance of stablishing multidisciplinary relationships for a global approach has been shown by this clinical case.

Purpose: To evaluate the survival impact of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) in stage II to IV thymomas, using systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods and Materials: A database search was conducted with EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Ovid from inception to August 2015. Thymic carcinomas were excluded, and studies comparing overall survival (OS) with and without PORT in thymomas were included. The hazard ratios (HRs) of OS were extracted, and a random-effects model was used in the pooled analysis. Results: Seven retrospective series with a total of 1724 patients were included and analyzed. Almost all of the patients underwent macroscopically complete resection, and thymoma histology was confirmed by the World Health Organization criteria. In the overall analysis of stage II to IV thymomas, OS was not altered with the receipt of PORT (HR 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58-1.08). Although PORT was not associated with survival difference in Masaoka stage II disease (HR 1.45, 95% CI 0.83-2.55), improved OS was observed with the addition of PORT in the discrete pooled analysis of stage III to IV (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.40-0.99). Significant heterogeneity and publication bias were not found in the analyses. Conclusions: From the present meta-analysis of sole primary thymomas, we suggest the potential OS benefit of PORT in locally advanced tumors with macroscopically complete resection, but not in stage II disease. Further investigations with sufficient survival data are needed to establish detailed treatment indications.

Purpose: To evaluate the survival impact of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) in stage II to IV thymomas, using systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods and Materials: A database search was conducted with EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Ovid from inception to August 2015. Thymic carcinomas were excluded, and studies comparing overall survival (OS) with and without PORT in thymomas were included. The hazard ratios (HRs) of OS were extracted, and a random-effects model was used in the pooled analysis. Results: Seven retrospective series with a total of 1724 patients were included and analyzed. Almost all of the patients underwent macroscopically complete resection, and thymoma histology was confirmed by the World Health Organization criteria. In the overall analysis of stage II to IV thymomas, OS was not altered with the receipt of PORT (HR 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58-1.08). Although PORT was not associated with survival difference in Masaoka stage II disease (HR 1.45, 95% CI 0.83-2.55), improved OS was observed with the addition of PORT in the discrete pooled analysis of stage III to IV (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.40-0.99). Significant heterogeneity and publication bias were not found in the analyses. Conclusions: From the present meta-analysis of sole primary thymomas, we suggest the potential OS benefit of PORT in locally advanced tumors with macroscopically complete resection, but not in stage II disease. Further investigations with sufficient survival data are needed to establish detailed treatment indications.

Twenty patients with Stage IVA and IVB cervic cancers were treated with Californium-252 (Cf) neutron brachytherapy (NT) in a feasibility trial between 1976 and 1986. Eleven patients had Stage IVA disease; nine patients had Stage IVB disease. Patient compliance with therapy was poor in four of nine patients with Stage IVB disease, and the 50% survival time was 6 months. In Stage IVA disease there were 18% 3-year survivals. For those that failed, the 50% survival time was 7.5 months. Because of the frequency of disseminated metastases, effective adjuvant therapy needs to be developed to use after the tumor debulking therapy, especially for Stage IVB disease. A single early Cf-NT implant followed by 6000 cGy of whole-pelvis fractionated radiation would accomplish this adequately for local tumor control and palliation.

230Th-excess is rare in most arc lavas, but common in the Cascades, yet the origin of such excesses remains unclear. At Mt. Shasta, age-corrected (230Th/232Th) and (238U/232Th) activity ratios range from 1.108 to 1.290 and from 0.987 to 1.309 (27.3% 230Th-excess to 6.1% 238U-excess), respectively. Although small degrees of zircon crystallization (ancestral cone (Sand Flat) was followed by four cone-building stages, three of which lie in the age range of U-series geochronology. Lavas within individual eruptive stages have relatively constant (230Th/232Th)0 ratios that are interpreted to reflect specific mixtures of mantle (m) and lower crustal (lc) melts that are characteristic of a specific stage (Mm:lc). High (230Th/232Th)0 ratios identify higher proportions of lower crust in the Misery Hill stage (Mm:lc = ∼ 85 : 15), whereas low (230Th/232Th)0 ratios reflect the more mantle-like composition of the Shastina lavas (Mm:lc = ∼ 95 : 5); in the case of Shastina lavas, very low 87Sr/86Sr ratios, down to 0.7029, support a substantial mantle contribution. Changes in (230Th/232Th)0 ratios correlate with eruptive volume, where the most voluminous stage (Misery Hill) is inferred to have the largest proportion of crustal melt and highest (230Th/232Th)0 ratios. Variable (230Th/238U)0 ratios within, and between, eruptive groups likely reflect a combination of residence time in the lower crust and differential assimilation of bulk, non-garnet-bearing crust that had (230Th/238U) = 1. The volume-(230Th/232Th)0 relations are accompanied by correlations with 87Sr/86Sr ratios, where the most radiogenic Sr is associated with the largest eruptive volumes, indicating that the largest magmatic episodes produced the largest amount of lower crustal interaction. The new U-Th and Sr isotope measurements of this study, along with U-series data for other Cascade centers suggest that interaction with the lower crust exerts greater control on Cascade magma chemistry than previously

Purpose: We performed a retrospective study to determine the long-term outcome, patterns of failure, and prognostic factors for patients with pathologic Stage I or II Hodgkin's disease (HD) who were treated with mantle irradiation alone. Methods and Materials: The medical records of 145 patients with pathologic Stage I or II supradiaphragmatic Hodgkin's disease treated with mantle irradiation alone between June 1967 and June 1991 were reviewed. Patterns of failure, overall survival (OS) rate, and progression-free survival (PFS) rate were determined. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify adverse prognostic factors for OS and PFS. The number of adverse prognostic factors per patient was counted, and a prognostic score was assigned to each patient. The log-rank test was used to compare the OS or PFS rates among patients with prognostic scores 0, 1, and 2. Results: The median patient age was 27 years (range 10-66), with almost even male to female distribution. Every patient had splenectomy and negative laparotomy (LAP). Fifty-one patients had Stage I disease (IA-49, IB-2) and 94 Stage II (IIA-89, IIB-5). The histologic subtypes were nodular sclerosing in 110, mixed cellularity in 28, lymphocyte predominance in 5, lymphocyte depleted in 1, and unclassified in 1. Twelve patients with Stage II disease had ≥ 3 sites of nodal involvement. Fifty-four patients had a prognostic score of 0, 70 of 1, and 21 of 2. The median follow-up time for the 109 surviving patients was 146 months (range 25-381). The 10- and 20-year actuarial OS rates for the whole group were 87.6% and 65.3%, respectively. The corresponding actuarial PFS rates were 75.3% and 74.2%, respectively. Thirty-six patients (9 Stage I, 27 Stage II) had relapses in a total of 41 sites. Failures by histology were 29 patients with nodular sclerosing, 6 with mixed cellularity, and 1 with lymphocyte predominance. Failures by sites were: trans-diaphragmatic, 22 (para-aortic nodes, 15; as the only

Lithium (Li) elemental and isotopic compositions for mineral separates of coexisting olivine, orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene of mantle xenoliths from the Quaternary volcanic rocks of southern Ethiopian rift (Dillo and Megado) reveal the influence of late stage melt-peridotite interaction on the early depleted and variably metasomatized lithospheric mantle. Two types of lherzolites are reported (LREE-depleted La/Sm(N) = 0.11-0.37 × Cl and LREE-enriched, La/Sm(N) = 1.88-15.72 × Cl). The depleted lherzolites have variable range in Li concentration (olivine: 2.1-5.4 ppm; opx: 1.1-2.3 ppm; cpx: 1.0-1.8 ppm) and in Li isotopic composition (δ7Li in olivine: -9.4 to 1.5‰; in opx: -4.5 to 3.6‰; in cpx: -17.0 to 4.8‰), indicating strong disequilibrium in Li partitioning and Li isotope fractionation between samples. The enriched lherzolites have limited range in both Li abundances (olivine: 2.7-3.0 ppm; opx: 1.1-3.1 ppm; cpx: 1.1-2.3 ppm) and Li isotopic compositions (δ7Li in olivine: -1.3 to +1.3‰; in opx: -2.0 to +5.0‰; in cpx: -7.5 to +4.8‰), suggest that the earlier metasomatic event which lead to LREE enrichment could also homogenize the Li contents and its isotopes. The enriched harzburgite and clinopyroxenite minerals show limited variation in Li abundances and variable Li isotopic compositions. The Li enrichments of olivine and clinopyroxene correlate neither with the incompatible trace element enrichment nor with the Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of clinopyroxene. These observations indicate that the metasomatic events which are responsible for the LREE enrichment and for the Li addition are distinct, whereby the LREE-enrichment pre-dates the influx of Li. The presence of large Li isotopic disequilibria within and between minerals of depleted and enriched peridotites suggest that the lithospheric mantle beneath the southern Ethiopian rift has experienced recent melt-peridotite interaction. Thus, the Li data set reported in this study offer new

The purpose of this study was to show the effectiveness of combining intra-arterial infusion and systemic chemotherapy with concurrent radiotherapy for treatment of stageIV mandibular gingival cancer. A total of 23 patients with mandibular gingival cancer were treated with either docetaxel by intra-arterial infusion followed by systemic chemoradiotherapy with cisplatinum and 5-fluorouracil as a monthly regimen, or with docetaxel and cisplatinum by intra-arterial infusion followed by systemic chemoradiotherapy with 5-fluorouracil as a weekly or biweekly regimen. Tumor responses, locoregional control, overall survival, disease-specific survival, and adverse events were evaluated. Of the 23 patients enrolled in the study, 22 completed the treatment. With regard to clinical stages, 82% were diagnosed as IVA and 18% IVB. Complete and partial response was observed in 82 and 18%, respectively. Five-year overall survival, disease-specific survival, and locoregional control were 51, 70, and 72%, respectively. No statistically significant difference was seen between the monthly regimen and the weekly plus biweekly regimen, although the latter resulted in longer survival and 88% control. Combined intra-arterial infusion and systemic chemoradiotherapy may be an effective treatment for patients with stageIV mandibular gingival cancer. (author)

Patients with stageIV cancer and bowel obstruction present a complicated management problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the palliative care service (PC) in the management of this complex disease process. A retrospective analysis was conducted of all patients admitted to Roswell Park Cancer Institute with stageIV cancer and bowel obstruction from 2009 to 2012 after the institution of a formal PC. This cohort was matched to similar patients from 2005 to 2008 (no palliative care service or NPC). Patient characteristics and outcomes included baseline demographics, comorbid conditions, do-not-resuscitate (DNR) status, laboratory parameters, medical and surgical management, length of stay, symptom relief, and disposition status. A total of 19 patients were identified in the PC group. Based on the PC group baseline characteristics, 19 patients were identified for the NPC group using matched values. Regarding outcomes, there were significant differences in the medication regimens (narcotics, octreotide, and Decadron) between the 2 groups. In the PC group, 14 of 19 patients showed improvement compared to 9 of 19 in the NPC group. Nearly 60% of patients in the PC group had a formal DNR order versus 10.5% in NPC ( P = .002). A significantly higher percentage of patients were discharged to hospice in the PC group (47.4% vs 0.0%, P = .006). Palliative care consultation improves the quality of care for patients with stageIV cancer and bowel obstruction, with particular benefits in symptom management, end-of-life discussion, and disposition to hospice.

The clinical records of 420 patients with diagnosis of breast cancer well documented by the pathological anatomy in clinical stage II, III and IV were reviewed. In each one of them has been done at least a bone scanning during the diagnosis. In 52 cases carried out sericeous dosages of CA 15-3 and in some cases it was necessary to administer Samarium-153 EDTMP as palliative therapy of bone pain. The presence of secondary gamma-graphic focuses was 0/84 cases (0%) in clinical stage II, 54/265 cases (20%) in III and 41/91 cases (45%) in IV. The one focus appeared in 6.7% of the cases. In 7 of the 52 cases that received sericeous dosages of CA 15-3 were detected secondary osseous lesions, and 5 of them presented a marker elevation. The bone scanning has shown in many cases the presence of getters focuses in singular places of skeleton, urinary excretory system or mammary tissue. The gamma rays from Sm-153 allowed us to get some appropriate basal views post-therapy of the secondary lesions. The results show that the great incidence of secondary lesions in the skeleton occurred in cases of stages III and IV unlike other countries. The serial repetition of the radioisotope scanning. The presence of one focus in the skeleton of a patient with a well-known neoplasia makes us to do a careful evaluation of the focus nature. The presence of tracer accumulation in the kidney, ureter and bladder allows us to infer the pathology of excretory system that is the first evidence of its presence in many cases. (author). 71 refs., 7 figs., 6 tabs

StageIV colorectal cancer encompasses various clinical conditions. The differences in prognosis after surgery between different metastatic organs have not been fully investigated. This study aimed to assess prognostic significance in peritoneal metastasis in R0 resected stageIV colorectal cancer. We conducted a multicenter retrospective study of patients with R0 resected stageIV colorectal cancer; they were categorized into 3 groups according to the number and location of metastatic organs, including single-organ metastasis in the peritoneum, single-organ metastasis at sites except the peritoneum, and multiple-organ metastases. This study used data accumulated by the Japanese Study Group for Postoperative Follow-Up of Colorectal Cancer. A total of 1133 patients with R0 resected stageIV colorectal cancer were registered retrospectively between 1997 and 2007 in 20 referral hospitals. Cancer-specific survival rates between the groups were measured. The median cancer-specific survival of the single-organ metastasis in the peritoneum group was considerably shorter than that of the single-organ metastasis at a site other than the peritoneum group and was almost comparable to that of the multiple-organ metastases group (3.41 years, 6.20 years, and 2.99 years). In a multivariate analysis of cancer-specific survival, peritoneal dissemination was confirmed as an independent prognostic factor of survival. The median postrecurrence survival of single-organ metastasis in the peritoneum group was considerably shorter than that of the single-organ metastasis at a site other than the peritoneum group. Approximately half of the patients who experienced recurrence of single-organ metastasis in the peritoneum experienced peritoneal recurrence. This was a retrospective, population-based study that requires a prospective design to validate its conclusions. Peritoneal metastasis of colorectal cancer frequently recurred in the peritoneum even after R0 resection. The cancer

.... This proposal outlines a Phase II clinical trial designed to estimate survival in StageIV HER2 positive breast cancer patients with no evidence of disease and receiving trastuzumab and a HER2 ICD peptide based vaccine...

The primary purpose of this grant is to determine the overall survival benefit in StageIV HER2 positive breast cancer patients vaccinated with a HER2 ICD peptide-based vaccine while receiving maintenance trastuzumab...

The primary purpose of this grant is to determine the overall survival benefit in StageIV HER2 positive breast cancer patients vaccinated with a HER2 ICD peptide-based vaccine while receiving maintenance trastuzumab...

Full Text Available Type IV pili are long, protein filaments built from a repeating subunit that protrudes from the surface of a wide variety of infectious bacteria. They are implicated in a vast array of functions, ranging from bacterial motility to microcolony formation to infection. One of the most well-studied type IV filaments is the gonococcal type IV pilus (GC-T4P from Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea. Cryo-electron microscopy has been used to construct a model of this filament, offering insights into the structure of type IV pili. In addition, experiments have demonstrated that GC-T4P can withstand very large tension forces, and transition to a force-induced conformation. However, the details of force-generation, and the atomic-level characteristics of the force-induced conformation, are unknown. Here, steered molecular dynamics (SMD simulation was used to exert a force in silico on an 18 subunit segment of GC-T4P to address questions regarding the nature of the interactions that lead to the extraordinary strength of bacterial pili. SMD simulations revealed that the buried pilin α1 domains maintain hydrophobic contacts with one another within the core of the filament, leading to GC-T4P's structural stability. At the filament surface, gaps between pilin globular head domains in both the native and pulled states provide water accessible routes between the external environment and the interior of the filament, allowing water to access the pilin α1 domains as reported for VC-T4P in deuterium exchange experiments. Results were also compared to the experimentally observed force-induced conformation. In particular, an exposed amino acid sequence in the experimentally stretched filament was also found to become exposed during the SMD simulations, suggesting that initial stages of the force induced transition are well captured. Furthermore, a second sequence was shown to be initially hidden in the native filament and became exposed upon

Type IV pili are long, protein filaments built from a repeating subunit that protrudes from the surface of a wide variety of infectious bacteria. They are implicated in a vast array of functions, ranging from bacterial motility to microcolony formation to infection. One of the most well-studied type IV filaments is the gonococcal type IV pilus (GC-T4P) from Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea. Cryo-electron microscopy has been used to construct a model of this filament, offering insights into the structure of type IV pili. In addition, experiments have demonstrated that GC-T4P can withstand very large tension forces, and transition to a force-induced conformation. However, the details of force-generation, and the atomic-level characteristics of the force-induced conformation, are unknown. Here, steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulation was used to exert a force in silico on an 18 subunit segment of GC-T4P to address questions regarding the nature of the interactions that lead to the extraordinary strength of bacterial pili. SMD simulations revealed that the buried pilin α1 domains maintain hydrophobic contacts with one another within the core of the filament, leading to GC-T4P's structural stability. At the filament surface, gaps between pilin globular head domains in both the native and pulled states provide water accessible routes between the external environment and the interior of the filament, allowing water to access the pilin α1 domains as reported for VC-T4P in deuterium exchange experiments. Results were also compared to the experimentally observed force-induced conformation. In particular, an exposed amino acid sequence in the experimentally stretched filament was also found to become exposed during the SMD simulations, suggesting that initial stages of the force induced transition are well captured. Furthermore, a second sequence was shown to be initially hidden in the native filament and became exposed upon stretching.

The present paper is the continuation of the previous publications of the present authors in the Journal of Engineering Physics under the general title in which three sequential stages of the thermal preparation of a carbon particle for combustion are considered: heating, drying, and the yield of volatiles. The present paper is devoted to a detailed investigation of the stage of ignition of a carbon particle under the conditions of external radiative-convective supply that most adequately reflects the furnace medium. The characteristics of thermal ignition of a carbon matrix were studied with the aid of the adiabatic method. Such parameters as time and the heating temperature, the time of induction, the total time and the temperature of ignition of a carbon particle, the scale temperature, etc. have been found. The degree of dependence of the time of ignition on the initial temperature of the particle, the temperature of the external medium, heat transfer coefficient, and other inlet data has been analyzed.

This paper presents a summary of the evidence review group (ERG) report into the clinical and cost-effectiveness of rituximab for the first-line treatment of stage III/IV follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (FNHL) based upon the manufacturer's submission to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as part of the single technology appraisal (STA) process. The manufacturer's scope restricts the intervention to rituximab in combination with CVP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisolone) (R-CVP); the only comparator used was CVP alone. The evidence from the one included randomised controlled trial (RCT) suggests that the addition of rituximab to a CVP chemotherapy regimen has a positive effect on the outcomes of time to treatment failure, disease progression, overall tumour response, duration of response and time to new lymphoma treatment in patients with stage III/IV FNHL compared with CVP alone. Adverse events were comparable between the two arms. This study was confirmed as the only relevant RCT. The economic analyses provided by the manufacturer were modelled using a three-state Markov model with with the health states being defined as progression-free survival (PFS), progressed (in which patients have relapsed) and death (which is an absorbing state). The model generated results for a cohort of patients with an initial age of 53 and makes no distinction between men and women. The model is basic in design, with several serious design flaws and key parameter values that are probably incompatible. Attempting to rectify the identified errors and limitations of the model did not increase the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) above 30,000 pounds. Although the cost-effectiveness results obtained appear to be compelling in support of R-CVP compared with CVP for the trial population the results may not be so convincing for a more representative population. The results of the ERG analysis on the impact of age suggest that ICERs increase

The standard treatment for patients with stageIV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is systemic chemotherapy. However, certain patients, such as those with oligometastasis or M1a disease undergo resection of the primary lesion. We conducted a retrospective review of the records of 1,471 consecutive patients with NSCLC who underwent resection of the primary lesion for between June 2005 and May 2016. The present study included 38 patients with stageIV NSCLC who underwent complete resection of the primary lesion as first-line treatment. The median follow-up duration for the 38 patients (27 men) was 17.7 months (range, 1-82.3 months). The T factors were T1/T2/T3/T4 in 4/16/12/6 patients, respectively. The N factors were N0/N1/N2/N3 in 16/8/12/2 patients, respectively. The M factors were M1a/M1b/M1c in 19/13/6 patients, respectively. Of the 19 M1a patients, 11 were classified as cM0. We introduced the novel classification M-better/M-worse. M-better includes cM0 patients and M1b and M1c patients in whom all lesions have been locally controlled. M-worse includes cM1a patients and M1b and M1c patients in whom lesions cannot be locally controlled. The new M-better/M-worse statuses were 24/14 patients, respectively. The histology of NSCLC was adenocarcinoma/squamous cell carcinoma/others in 30/5/3 patients, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rate was 29%, and the median survival time was 725 days. Squamous cell carcinoma and M-worse were significant factors predicting poor outcomes (P=0.0017, P=0.0007, respectively). Even for stageIV NSCLC patients, resection of the primary lesion may be beneficial, especially for those with M-better status and those not diagnosed with squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC).

Full Text Available Ik Yong Kim,1,* Bo Ra Kim,2,* Hyun Soo Kim,2 Young Wan Kim1 1Department of Surgery, Division of Colorectal Surgery, 2Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Gangwon-do, Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: To identify differences in clinical features between laparoscopy and open resection for primary tumor in patients with stageIV colorectal cancer. We also evaluated short-term and oncologic outcomes after laparoscopy and open surgery.Methods: A total of 100 consecutive stageIV patients undergoing open (n=61 or laparoscopic (n=39 major resection were analyzed. There were four cases (10% of conversion to laparotomy in the laparoscopy group.Results: Pathological T4 tumors (56% vs 26%, primary colon cancers (74% vs 51%, and larger tumor diameter (6 vs 5 cm were more commonly managed with open surgery. Right colectomy was more common in the open surgery group (39% and low anterior resection was more common in the laparoscopy group (39%, P=0.002. Hepatic metastases in segments II, III, IVb, V, and VI were more frequently resected with laparoscopy (100% than with open surgery (56%, although the difference was not statistically significant. In colon and rectal cancers, mean operative time and 30-day complication rates of laparoscopy and open surgery did not differ. In both cancers, mean time to soft diet and length of hospital stay were shorter in the laparoscopy group. Mean time from surgery to chemotherapy commencement was significantly shorter with laparoscopy than with open surgery. In colon and rectal cancers, 2-year cancer-specific and progression-free survival rates were similar between the laparoscopy and open surgery groups.Conclusion: Based on our findings, laparoscopy can be selected as an initial approach in patients with a primary tumor without adjacent organ invasion and patients without primary tumor-related symptoms. In selected stage

Osteitis pubis among soccer athletes is a disabling painful condition and it is difficult to manage without integrating a multimodal treatment approach. There is limited scientific evidence on the effectiveness of exercise in treating Osteitis pubis especially when it progress to a chronic painful condition. The purpose of this case report is to discuss the successful multimodal physiotherapeutic management for a 15-year old soccer athlete diagnosed with stage-IV Osteitis pubis. Land and water based active core muscle strengthening exercises, Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques (PNF) and Manual Therapy are some of the essential components incorporated in multimodal intervention approach with emphasis to water based strength and endurance training exercises. The athlete was able to make progress to a successful recovery from his chronic painful condition and accomplished the clearly established clinical outcomes during each phase of rehabilitation.

Purpose: To examine the effect of locoregional treatment (LRT) of the primary tumor on survival in patients with StageIV breast cancer at diagnosis. Methods and Materials: The study cohort comprised 733 women referred to the British Columbia Cancer Agency between 1996 and 2005 with newly diagnosed clinical or pathologic M1 breast cancer. Tumor and treatment characteristics, overall survival (OS), and locoregional progression-free survival were compared between patients treated with (n = 378) and without (n = 355) LRT of the primary disease. Multivariable analysis was performed with Cox regression modeling. Results: The median follow-up time was 1.9 years. LRT consisted of surgery alone in 67% of patients, radiotherapy alone in 22%, and both in 11%. LRT was used more commonly in women with age <50 years, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-1, Stage T1-2 tumors, N0-1 disease, limited M1 burden, and asymptomatic M1 disease (all p < 0.05). Systemic therapy was used in 92% of patients who underwent LRT and 85% of patients who did not. In patients treated with LRT compared with those without LRT, the 5-year OS rates were 21% vs. 14% (p < 0.001), and the rates of locoregional progression-free survival were 72% vs. 46% (p < 0.001). Among 378 patients treated with LRT, the rates of 5-year OS were higher in patients with age <50, ECOG performance status 0-1, estrogen receptor-positive disease, clear surgical margins, single subsite, bone-only metastasis, and one to four metastatic lesions (all p < 0.003). On multivariable analysis, LRT was associated with improved OS (hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.64-0.94, p = 0.009). Conclusion: Locoregional treatment of the primary disease is associated with improved survival in some women with StageIV breast cancer at diagnosis. Among those treated with LRT, the most favorable rates of survival were observed in subsets with young age, good performance status, estrogen receptor-positive disease

Complete pathological response occurs in 10-20% of patients with rectal cancer who are treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy prior to pelvic surgery. The possibility that complete pathological response of rectal cancer can also occur with neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone (without radiation) is an intriguing hypothesis. A 66-year old man presented an adenocarcinoma of the rectum with nine liver metastases (T3N1M1). He was included in a reverse treatment, aiming at first downsizing the liver metastases by chemotherapy, and subsequently performing the liver surgery prior to the rectum resection. The neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisted in a combination of oxaliplatin, 5-FU, irinotecan, leucovorin and bevacizumab (OCFL-B). After a right portal embolization, an extended right liver lobectomy was performed. On the final histopathological analysis, all lesions were fibrotic, devoid of any viable cancer cells. One month after liver surgery, the rectoscopic examination showed a near-total response of the primary rectal adenocarcinoma, which convinced the colorectal surgeon to perform the low anterior resection without preoperative radiation therapy. Macroscopically, a fibrous scar was observed at the level of the previously documented tumour, and the histological examination of the surgical specimen did not reveal any malignant cells in the rectal wall as well as in the mesorectum. All 15 resected lymph nodes were free of tumour, and the final tumour stage was ypT0N0M0. Clinical outcome was excellent, and the patient is currently alive 5 years after the first surgery without evidence of recurrence. The presented patient with stageIV rectal cancer and liver metastases was in a unique situation linked to its inclusion in a reversed treatment and the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone. The observed achievement of a complete pathological response after chemotherapy should promote the design of prospective randomized studies to evaluate the benefits of chemotherapy

Purpose: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare, albeit aggressive subset of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, resulting in varied treatment approaches. Given the paucity of data defining the optimal management for early-stage MCL, we conducted an analysis using the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) to identify practice patterns and outcomes. Methods and Materials: The NCDB was queried for patients with stage I to II MCL diagnosed from 1998 to 2012 receiving chemotherapy (CT) or radiation therapy (RT), or both (CT+RT). Univariate and multivariable analyses for factors associated with treatment selection were completed using logistic regression. Propensity scores with inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) were calculated based on the conditional probability of receiving CT+RT. The log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards modeling with IPTW adjustment were conducted for the survival analyses. Results: In total, 2539 patients were identified. The key characteristics were as follows: 69% were male, 71% were aged ≥60 years, 28% had extranodal involvement, and 51% had stage I disease. Of the 2539 patients, 70% underwent CT, 11% underwent RT, and 19% underwent CT+RT. The use of CT+RT decreased from 23.1% to 14.1% in 1998 to 2002 and 2010 to 2012 (Pstage II disease, and the presence of B symptoms. With a median follow-up period of 42.8 months, the unadjusted 3-year overall survival estimates for patients receiving CT, RT, or CT+RT were 67.8%, 72.4%, and 79.8%, respectively (Pstage I-II MCL can have favorable outcomes. Despite a continued decline in the usage of consolidative RT, combined modality therapy improves survival in this cohort compared

Purpose To provide evidence-based recommendations to update the American Society of Clinical Oncology guideline on systemic therapy for stageIV non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods An Update Committee of the American Society of Clinical Oncology NSCLC Expert Panel based recommendations on a systematic review of randomized controlled trials from January 2007 to February 2014. Results This guideline update reflects changes in evidence since the previous guideline. Recommendations There is no cure for patients with stageIV NSCLC. For patients with performance status (PS) 0 to 1 (and appropriate patient cases with PS 2) and without an EGFR-sensitizing mutation or ALK gene rearrangement, combination cytotoxic chemotherapy is recommended, guided by histology, with early concurrent palliative care. Recommendations for patients in the first-line setting include platinum-doublet therapy for those with PS 0 to 1 (bevacizumab may be added to carboplatin plus paclitaxel if no contraindications); combination or single-agent chemotherapy or palliative care alone for those with PS 2; afatinib, erlotinib, or gefitinib for those with sensitizing EGFR mutations; crizotinib for those with ALK or ROS1 gene rearrangement; and following first-line recommendations or using platinum plus etoposide for those with large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Maintenance therapy includes pemetrexed continuation for patients with stable disease or response to first-line pemetrexed-containing regimens, alternative chemotherapy, or a chemotherapy break. In the second-line setting, recommendations include docetaxel, erlotinib, gefitinib, or pemetrexed for patients with nonsquamous cell carcinoma; docetaxel, erlotinib, or gefitinib for those with squamous cell carcinoma; and chemotherapy or ceritinib for those with ALK rearrangement who experience progression after crizotinib. In the third-line setting, for patients who have not received erlotinib or gefitinib, treatment with erlotinib is

In light of continued uncertainty regarding efficacy of treatment of Stages III and IV laryngeal tumours, this study aims to evaluate organ-preservation strategies, comprising radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy versus surgical treatment (laryngectomy ± adjuvant treatment) by encompassing the long-established practice at two internationally acclaimed tertiary centres not previously presented in published literature. Retrospective review was conducted of non-randomised prospectively maintained Stages III and IV disease patient databases at two tertiary centres: Sahlgrenska University Hospital (SU) in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) in Aberdeen, Scotland. Primary outcome measures included 3-year overall, disease-specific survival and local control depending on treatment. A total of 176 patients were identified. Sixty-five patients (37 %) presented with Stage III tumours, of which 51 patients received organ-preserving treatment and 14 underwent total laryngectomy. The corresponding figures for the 111 patients (63 %) presenting with StageIV disease were 42 and 69. Three-year overall and disease-specific survival for Stage III was 58 and 73 %, respectively. The corresponding figures for StageIV disease were 42 and 53 %. The choice of treatment did not appear to significantly influence survival for Stage III (p = 0.56) or IV (p = 0.93) disease. The choice of treatment, whether organ preservation or surgery, does not seem to significantly influence the overall or disease-specific survival. Therefore, other factors such as quality of life and voice and efficacy of salvage treatments are perhaps more likely to indicate the preferred treatment options, but larger randomised trials are needed.

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of concomitant postoperative radiation and chemotherapy in patients with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages III and IV endometrial cancer. A retrospective review at Shimane University and Ryukyu University, Japan, was performed of 76 patients with FIGO stages III and IV endometrial cancer. All patients had received a comprehensive staging procedure including hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, ±selective pelvic/aortic lymphadenectomy, surgical debulking, and treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Seventy-six patients with FIGO stages III and IV endometrial cancer were identified who received postoperative adjuvant therapies; 26% (N=20) received radiotherapy alone, 40% (N=30) chemotherapy alone, and 34% (N=26) chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The median age was 55 years; 92% had the endometrioid type and 97% were optimally debulked. The median follow-up period was 54 (range 6-188) months. Combination therapy with chemotherapy and radiation correlated with longer overall survival compared with either chemotherapy alone (P=0.0298) or chemotherapy alone+radiation alone (P=0.0345). Combination therapy correlated with longer overall survival compared with radiation alone with marginal significance (P=0.0521). No significant differences in the disease-free interval were seen among the combination therapy and chemotherapy alone or radiation alone groups. Combined treatment with radiation and chemotherapy may improve overall survival in patients with FIGO stages III and IV endometrial cancer. (author)

Purpose: To evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of concomitant chemoirradiation (CRT) followed by adjuvant chemotherapy compared with radiotherapy (RT) alone in Chinese patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods and Materials: Between March 1997 and September 2000, 47 Chinese patients with Stage III (n=9, 19%) and IV (n=38, 81%) NPC were treated with by CRT using cisplatin 100 mg/m 2 on Days 1, 22, and 43 of RT, plus adjuvant chemotherapy using cisplatin 80 mg/m 2 for 1 day and 5-fluorouracil 1 g/m 2 for 4 days on Days 71, 99, and 127. These patients were then compared with a cohort of 47 patients treated between 1990 and 1993 with RT alone, who were matched with respect to T stage, N stage, nodal bilaterality, nodal level, and nodal size. The RT techniques were similar in the two groups but different dose and fractionation schemes were used. The median biologic equivalent dose to 2 Gy per fraction delivered to the nasopharynx was 68 Gy in the CRT group and 65.3 Gy in the RT-alone group. Results: The compliance rates were 62% for concomitant chemotherapy and 40% for adjuvant chemotherapy. No treatment-related deaths occurred. At the end of treatment, 96% of the CRT group and 79% of the RT-alone group achieved a complete response (p=0.013). With a median follow-up of 26 months, the 3-year relapse-free survival, disease-specific survival, overall survival, local relapse-free survival, nodal relapse-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival rate for the CRT group and the RT-alone group was 62% vs. 44% (p=0.048), 67% vs. 71% (p=0.88), 65% vs. 69% (p=0.93), 87% vs. 75% (p=0.059), 95% vs. 80% (p=0.026), and 75% vs. 70% (p=0.84), respectively. Conclusion: Our experience indicates that concomitant CRT improves locoregional control in Chinese patients with locoregionally advanced NPC, but our analyses failed to detect any impact on distant failure and survival. The failure to reduce distant metastasis and improve survival may have

Melanoma patients exhibit changes in immune responsiveness in the local tumor environment, draining lymph nodes, and peripheral blood. Immune-targeting therapies are revolutionizing melanoma patient care increasingly, and studies show that patients derive clinical benefit from these newer agents. Nonetheless, predicting which patients will benefit from these costly therapies remains a challenge. In an effort to capture individual differences in immune responsiveness, we are analyzing patterns of gene expression in human peripheral blood cells using RNAseq. Focusing on CD4+ peripheral blood cells, we describe multiple categories of immune regulating genes, which are expressed in highly ordered patterns shared by cohorts of healthy subjects and stageIV melanoma patients. Despite displaying conservation in overall transcriptome structure, CD4+ peripheral blood cells from melanoma patients differ quantitatively from healthy subjects in the expression of more than 2000 genes. Moreover, 1300 differentially expressed genes are found in transcript response patterns following activation of CD4+ cells ex vivo, suggesting that widespread functional discrepancies differentiate the immune systems of healthy subjects and melanoma patients. While our analysis reveals that the transcriptome architecture characteristic of healthy subjects is maintained in cancer patients, the genes expressed differentially among individuals and across cohorts provide opportunities for understanding variable immune states as well as response potentials, thus establishing a foundation for predicting individual responses to stimuli such as immunotherapeutic agents.

Full Text Available Abstract Background Immunohistochemistry (IHC with mutation-specific antibodies may be an ancillary method of detecting EGFR mutations in lung cancer patients. Methods EGFR mutation status was analyzed by DNA assays, and compared with IHC results in five non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC cell lines and tumor samples from 78 stageIV NSCLC patients. Results IHC correctly identified del 19 in the H1650 and PC9 cell lines, L858R in H1975, and wild-type EGFR in H460 and A549, as well as wild-type EGFR in tumor samples from 22 patients. IHC with the mAb against EGFR with del 19 was highly positive for the protein in all 17 patients with a 15-bp (ELREA deletion in exon 19, whereas in patients with other deletions, IHC was weakly positive in 3 cases and negative in 9 cases. IHC with the mAb against the L858R mutation showed high positivity for the protein in 25/27 (93% patients with exon 21 EGFR mutations (all with L858R but did not identify the L861Q mutation in the remaining two patients. Conclusions IHC with mutation-specific mAbs against EGFR is a promising method for detecting EGFR mutations in NSCLC patients. However these mAbs should be validated with additional studies to clarify their possible role in routine clinical practice for screening EGFR mutations in NSCLC patients.

High-Mg, low-Ti volcanic rocks from the Manihiki Plateau in the Western Pacific share many geochemical characteristics with subduction-related boninites such as high-Ca boninites from the Troodos ophiolite on Cyprus, which are believed to originate by hydrous re-melting of previously depleted mantle. In this paper we compare the Manihiki rocks and Troodos boninites using a new dataset on the major and trace element composition of whole rocks and glasses from these locations, and new high-precision, electron microprobe analyses of olivine and Cr-spinel in these rocks. Our results show that both low-Ti Manihiki rocks and Troodos boninites could originate by re-melting of a previously depleted lherzolite mantle source (20-25% of total melting with 8-10% melting during the first stage), as indicated by strong depletion of magmas in more to less incompatible elements (Sm/Yb Y 0.5). In comparison with Troodos boninites, the low-Ti Manihiki magmas had distinctively lower H2O contents ( 2 wt% in boninites), 100 °C higher liquidus temperatures at a given olivine Fo-number, lower fO2 (ΔQFM + 0.2) and originated from deeper and hotter mantle (1.4-1.7 GPa, 1440 °C vs. 0.8-1.0 GPa, 1300 °C for Troodos boninites). The data provide new evidence that re-melting of residual upper mantle is not only restricted to subduction zones, where it occurs under hydrous conditions, but can also take place due to interaction of previously depleted upper mantle with mantle plumes from the deep and hotter Earth interior.

The aim of the study was to investigate how the expression of tumor markers p21, p27, p53, cyclin D1, EGFR, Ki-67, and CD31 influenced the outcome of advanced inoperable oropharyngeal carcinoma patients, treated with concomitant radiochemotherapy. The pretreatment biopsy specimens of 74 consecutive patients with inoperable stageIV oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with concomitant radiochemotherapy were in retrospective study processed by immunochemistry for p21, p27, p53, cyclin D1, EGFR, Ki-67, and CD31. Disease-free survival (DFS) was assessed according to the expression of tumor markers. Patients with a high expression of p21 (≥10%), p27 (>50%), Ki-67 (>50%), CD31 (>130 vessels/mm2) and low expression of p53 (<10%), cyclin D1 (<10%) and EGFR (<10%) (favorable levels - FL) had better DFS than patients with a low expression of p21 (<10%), p27 (≤50%), Ki-67 (≤50%), CD31 (<130 vessels/mm2) and high expression of p53 (≥10%), cyclin D1 (≥10%) and EGFR (≥10%) (unfavorable levels - UL). However, statistical significance in survival between FL and UL was achieved only for p27 and cyclin D1. DFS significantly decreased with an increasing number of markers with an unfavorable level per tumor (1–4 vs. 5–7) (78% vs. 32%, respectively; p = 0.004). The number of markers per tumor with UL of expression retained prognostic significance also in multivariate analysis. Statistical significance in survival between FL and UL emerged only for p27 and cyclin D1. The number of markers per tumor with UL of expression was an independent prognostic factor for an adverse outcome

Survivin is a microtubule-associated protein believed to be involved in preserving cell viability and regulating tumor cell mitosis, and it is overexpressed in many primary tumor types, including melanoma. YM155 is a first-in-class survivin suppressant. The purpose of this Phase 2 study was to evaluate the 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate in patients with unresectable Stage III or IV melanoma receiving a combination of YM155 plus docetaxel. The study had two parts: Part 1 established the dose of docetaxel that was tolerable in combination with YM155, and Part 2 evaluated the tolerable docetaxel dose (75 mg/m 2 ) in combination with YM155 (5 mg/m 2 per day continuous infusion over 168 h every 3 weeks). The primary endpoint was 6-month PFS rate. Secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), 1-year overall survival (OS) rate, time from first response to progression, clinical benefit rate (CBR), and safety. Sixty-four patients with metastatic melanoma were treated with docetaxel and YM155. Eight patients received an initial docetaxel dose of 100 mg/m 2 and 56 patients received 75 mg/m 2 of docetaxel. Six-month PFS rate per Independent Review Committee (IRC) was 34.8% (n = 64; 95% CI, 21.3–48.6%), and per Investigator was 31.3% (n = 64; 95% CI, 19.5–43.9%). The best ORR (complete response [CR] + partial response [PR]) per IRC was 12.5% (8/64). The stable disease (SD) rate was 51.6% (33/64), leading to a CBR (CR + PR + SD) of 64.1% (41/64). Estimated probability of 1-year survival was 56.3%. YM155 is a novel agent showing modest activity when combined with docetaxel for treating patients with melanoma. YM155 was generally well tolerated, but the predetermined primary efficacy endpoint (i.e., 6-month PFS rate ≥20%) was not achieved

Full Text Available Abstract Background A frequent manifestation of advanced lung cancer is malnutrition, timely identification and treatment of which can lead to improved patient outcomes. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA is an easy-to-use and non-invasive technique to evaluate changes in body composition and nutritional status. We investigated the prognostic role of BIA-derived phase angle in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC. Methods A case series of 165 stages IIIB and IV NSCLC patients treated at our center. The Kaplan Meier method was used to calculate survival. Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to evaluate the prognostic effect of phase angle, independent of stage at diagnosis and prior treatment history. Results 93 were males and 72 females. 61 had stage IIIB disease at diagnosis while 104 had stageIV. The median phase angle was 5.3 degrees (range = 2.9 – 8. Patients with phase angle 5.3 had 12.4 months (95% CI: 10.5 to 18.7; n = 84; (p = 0.02. After adjusting for age, stage at diagnosis and prior treatment history we found that every one degree increase in phase angle was associated with a relative risk of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.64 to 0.97, P = 0.02. Conclusion We found BIA-derived phase angle to be an independent prognostic indicator in patients with stage IIIB and IV NSCLC. Nutritional interventions targeted at improving phase angle could potentially lead to an improved survival in patients with advanced NSCLC.

To assess the factors associated with a poor prognosis for a cumulative IVF live birth rate (LBR) in women with stage III and IV endometriosis according to the revised classification of the American Fertility Society (rAFS). A retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2014, in our Reproductive Medicine Center. We analyzed different factors associated with a poor prognosis for a cumulative IVF LBR in women with rAFS stage III and IV endometriosis. A total of 101 patients were included, representing 232 IVF-ICSI cycles and 212 embryo transfers. The primary endpoint was the cumulative LBR per cycle and per patient. The cumulative LBR per cycle was 14.7% (n = 34) and that per patient was 31.7% (n = 32). The cumulative LBR was significantly decreased by active smoking [ adj OR = 3.4, 95% CI (1.12-10.60), p = 0.031], poor ovarian response (POR) according to the Bologna criteria [ adj OR = 11.5, 95% CI (1.37-96.83), p = 0.024], and rAFS stageIV [ adj OR = 3.2, 95% CI (1.13-8.95), p = 0.024]. The cumulative LBR per women was 59.4% without factors associated with a poor prognosis and 25.6% in the case of one factor, and it decreased to 7.7% in the case of two or three factors (p endometriosis had a negative impact on the IVF-ICSI cumulative LBR for women with rAFS stage III and IV endometriosis. Because smoking dramatically decreases the LBR with endometriosis, stopping smoking before IVF-ICSI should be strongly advised.

This randomized phase IIb trial studies how well ACTOplus met XR works in treating in patients with stage I-IV oral cavity or oropharynx cancer that are undergoing definitive treatment. Chemoprevention is the use of drugs to keep oral cavity or oropharynx cancer from forming or coming back. The use of ACTOplus met XR may slow disease progression in patients with oral cavity or oropharynx cancer. |

Full Text Available Xuebing Yan,1,* Liguo Liu,2,* Hao Li,1,* Huanlong Qin,1 Zhenliang Sun1,3 1Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 2Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, 3Central Laboratory, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, South Campus, Shanghai, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Colorectal cancer (CRC is a common digestive malignancy and emerging studies have closely linked its initiation and development with gut microbiota changes. Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn has been recently identified as a pathogenic bacteria for CRC; however, its prognostic significance for patients is poorly investigated and is less for patients within late stage. Therefore, in this study, we made efforts to analyze its level and prognostic significance in a retrospective cohort of 280 stage III/IV CRC patients. We found that the Fn level was abnormally high in tumor tissues and correlated with tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis status, and distant metastasis. We also identified it as an independent adverse prognostic factor for cancer-specific survival (CSS and disease-free survival (DFS. The following subgroup analysis indicated that Fn level could stratify CSS and DFS in stage IIIB/C and IV patients but failed in stage IIIA patients. In addition, stage III/IV patients with low Fn level were found to benefit more from adjuvant chemotherapy than those with high Fn level, in terms of DFS. Finally, we analyzed the expression and clinical significance of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT markers (E-cadherin and N-cadherin and cancer stem cell (CSC markers (Nanog, Oct-4, and Sox-2 in CRC tissues. The results indicated that N-cadherin, Nanog, Oct-4, and Sox-2 were adverse prognostic factors in these patients, while the opposite was true for E-cadherin. More importantly, expression of E

Purpose: To determine the contribution of total body irradiation (TBI) to late sequelae in children treated with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation for StageIV neuroblastoma. Patients and Methods: We compared two populations that were similar with regard to age, stage, pre-autologous bone marrow transplantation chemotherapy (CT) regimen, period of treatment, and follow-up (12 years). The TBI group (n = 32) received TBI as part of the megatherapy procedure (1982-1993), whereas the CT group (n 30) received conditioning without TBI (1985-1992). Analysis 12 years later focused on growth, weight and corpulence (body mass index) delay; hormonal deficiencies; liver, kidney, heart, ear, eye, and dental sequelae; school performance; and the incidence of secondary tumors. Results: Impact of TBI was most marked in relation to growth and weight delay, although the mean delay was not severe, probably because of treatment with growth hormones. Other consequences of TBI were thyroid insufficiency, cataracts, and a high incidence of secondary tumors. Hearing loss and dental agenesis were more prominent in the group treated with CT alone. No differences were observed in school performance. Conclusion: The most frequent side effects of TBI were cataracts, thyroid insufficiency, and growth delay, but more worrying is the risk of secondary tumors. Because of the young mean age of patients and the toxicity of TBI regimens without any survival advantage, regimens without TBI are preferable in the management of StageIV neuroblastoma

ASCO published a guideline on use of chemotherapy in advanced stage non–small-cell lung cancer in 1997. The latest update covers treatment with chemotherapy and biologic agents and reviews literature from 2002 to 2009.

Purpose An American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) focused update updates a single recommendation (or subset of recommendations) in advance of a regularly scheduled guideline update. This document updates one recommendation of the ASCO Guideline Update on Chemotherapy for StageIV Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) regarding switch maintenance chemotherapy. Clinical Context Recent results from phase III clinical trials have demonstrated that in patients with stageIV NSCLC who have received four cycles of first-line chemotherapy and whose disease has not progressed, an immediate switch to alternative, single-agent chemotherapy can extend progression-free survival and, in some cases, overall survival. Because of limitations in the data, delayed treatment with a second-line agent after disease progression is also acceptable. Recent Data Seven randomized controlled trials of carboxyaminoimidazole, docetaxel, erlotinib, gefitinib, gemcitabine, and pemetrexed have evaluated outcomes in patients who received an immediate, non–cross resistant alternative therapy (switch maintenance) after first-line therapy. Recommendation In patients with stageIV NSCLC, first-line cytotoxic chemotherapy should be stopped at disease progression or after four cycles in patients whose disease is stable but not responding to treatment. Two-drug cytotoxic combinations should be administered for no more than six cycles. For those with stable disease or response after four cycles, immediate treatment with an alternative, single-agent chemotherapy such as pemetrexed in patients with nonsquamous histology, docetaxel in unselected patients, or erlotinib in unselected patients may be considered. Limitations of this data are such that a break from cytotoxic chemotherapy after a fixed course is also acceptable, with initiation of second-line chemotherapy at disease progression. PMID:21900105

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents approximately 80% of all lung cancers. Unfortunately, at their time of diagnosis, most patients have advanced to unresectable disease with a very poor prognosis. The oriental herbal medicine HangAm-Plus(HAP) has been developed for antitumor purposes, and several previous studies have reported its therapeutic effects. In this study, the efficacy of HAP was evaluated as a third-line treatment for advanced-stage IIIb/IV NSCLC. The study involved six patients treated at the East- West Cancer Center (EWCC) from April 2010 to October 2011. Inoperable advanced-stage IIIb/IV NSCLC patients received 3,000 or 6,000 mg of HAP on a daily basis over a 12-week period. Computed tomography (CT) scans were obtained from the patients at the time of the initial administration and after 12 weeks of treatment. We observed and analyzed the patients overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Of the six patients, three expired during the study, and the three remaining patients were alive as of October 31, 2011. The OS ranged from 234 to 512 days, with a median survival of 397 days and a one-year survival rate of 66.7%. In the 12-week-interval chest CT assessment, three patients showed stable disease (SD), and the other three showed progressive disease (PD). The PFS of patients ranged from 88 to 512 days, the median PFS being 96 days. Longer OS and PFS were correlated with SD. Although not directly comparable, the OS and the PFS of this study were greater than those of the docetaxel or the best supportive care group in other studies. HAP may prolong the OS and the PFS of inoperable stage IIIb/IV NSCLC patients without significant adverse effects. In the future, more controlled clinical trials with larger samples from multi-centers should be conducted to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of HAP.

The strain hardening and damage behaviour of isothermally heat treated 6005A aluminium is investigated in order to link the thermal treatment conditions, microstructure and fracture strain. The need for a plastic flow rule involving a stageIV hardening at large strain was found essential...... allows for the simulation of the full tensile response curves up to cracking initiation and final failure. Reasonable agreement is found when comparing the predicted and experimentally measured fracture strains for a wide range of heat treatment conditions using real microstructure based parameters....

This report details the research performed on Phase IV of the extended Cooperative Agreement. This Phase, entitled C{sub 1}-C{sub 4} Research, provides the research support which accompanies the C{sub 4} Proof-of-Concept Phase (Phase V) as the two major activities of the Cooperative Agreement during calendar 1993. It is the objective of this phase to understand the nature of the catalysts and catalytic activity of perhaloporphyrin complexes uncovered during Phases I-III in order that superior catalytic materials can be made and tested which meet commercial criteria for the oxidation of the C{sub 1}-C{sub 4} light alkane gases found in natural gas and other available hydrocarbon streams. During Phase IV, we have examined the physical and electronic structures of the very active perhaloporphyrin catalysts which we have developed, and have gained an understanding of the properties which make them active. This has led us to design and synthesize materials which are cheaper, more active, more robust and, in general superior for carrying out practical catalysis. Our early generation perhaloporphyrin catalysts, while exhibiting unprecedented catalytic activity, were far too expensive for use in converting natural gas or its C{sub 1}-C{sub 4} components.

Full Text Available Extrapulmonary small cell carcinomas (EPSCC are extremely rare. Most reports indicate success with therapy directed at the tumor as if it was pulmonary small cell carcinoma Primary small cell carcinoma of the breast is an uncommon form of EPSCC. Differentiating between a primary small cell carcinoma of the breast from metastatic disease to the breast is very important. According to the literature, there have been approximately 70 cases reported worldwide. Of these cases, only two cases are documented in men. Prognosis is varied and depends on stage of disease at presentation. A combination of surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation is required to adequately treat patients with small cell carcinoma of the breast. We present a case of a male patient diagnosed with stageIV non-small cell lung carcinoma first and then subsequently diagnosed with a concurrent small cell carcinoma of the breast responding to treatment with concurrent chemotherapy and radiation.

We present here the case report of a postmenopausal woman who complained of recurrent pus-like vaginal discharge and perianal pain 1 year after Le Fort colpocleisis, which was subsequently identified as a primary invasive carcinoma of the vagina. Biopsy confirmed a squamous cell carcinoma in the vagina, and the disease was classified as stage III according to FIGO staging. The patient received pelvic radiotherapy. This case emphasizes that differential diagnosis of recurrent vaginal discharge that presents remote from obliterative procedure for pelvic organ prolapse should consider not only pyometra, but also other causes.

Full Text Available Sana D Karam,1 Zachary D Horne,2 Robert L Hong,2 Don McRae,2 David Duhamel,3 Nadim M Nasr2 1Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA; 2Department of Radiation Oncology, 3Department of Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington, VA, USA Objective: In elderly patients with stage IIB–IV nonsmall cell lung cancer who cannot tolerate chemotherapy, conventionally fractionated radiotherapy is the treatment of choice. We present our experience with hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT in the treatment of this patient population. Methods: Thirty-three patients with a median age of 80 years treated with fractionated SBRT were retrospectively analyzed. Most patients were smokers and had preexisting lung disease and either refused treatment or were ineligible. A median prescribed dose of 40 Gy was delivered to the prescription isodose line over a median of five treatments. The majority of patients (70% did not receive chemotherapy. Results: With a median follow-up of 9 months (range: 4–40 months, the actuarial median overall survival (OS and progression-free survival were 12 months for both. One year actuarial survival outcomes were 75%, 58%, 44%, and 48% for local control, regional control, progression-free survival, and OS, respectively. Increased volume of disease was a statistically significant predictor of worse OS. Three patients developed a grade 1 cough that peaked 3 weeks after treatment and resolved within 1 month. One patient developed grade 1 tracheal mucositis and three patients developed grade 1 pneumonitis. Both resolved 6 weeks after treatment. Three patients died within the first month of treatment, but the cause of death did not appear to be related to the treatment. Conclusion: Hypofractionated SBRT is a relatively safe and convenient treatment option for elderly patients with inoperable stage IIB–IV nonsmall cell lung cancer. However, given the small

T-stage is an imperfect prognostic indicator for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We evaluated the effect of extent of intracranial involvement on survival after conventional radiotherapy in patients with Stage T4 nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the results of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and treatment outcomes in 84 consecutive patients with Stage T4 nasopharyngeal carcinoma during the period September 1993 to December 2002 in Taiwan. The patients were subcategorized into those who had limited intracranial involvement (primary nasopharyngeal tumors with involvement of the unilateral cavernous sinus or the parasellar region only) or extensive involvement (extension of the tumors to the bilateral cavernous sinus or the parasellar region, into the orbit and the ethmoid sinus anteriorly, or to the prepontine region and the posterior cranial fossa). Extensive intracranial involvement was found in 51.2% of the patients. Among these patients, the 5-year rate of overall survival after conventional radiotherapy was only 3.4%. In contrast, the 5-year survival among patients with limited intracranial involvement was 42.9%. This difference was significant (P nasopharyngeal carcinoma, better treatment outcomes were associated with limited intracranial involvement. We conclude that a subdivision of Stage T4 nasopharyngeal carcinoma disease based on the extent of intracranial involvement would provide better prognostic information.

Full Text Available Background: Lipegfilgrastim (Lonquex® has demonstrated to be non-inferior to pegfilgrastim (Neulasta® in reducing the duration of severe neutropenia (SN in patients with stage II−IV breast cancer. Compared to pegfilgrastim, lipegfilgrastim also demonstrated statistically significant lower time to ANC recovery in cycles 1–3, lower incidence of SN in cycle 2 and lower depth of absolute neutrophil count (ANC nadir in cycles 2 and 3. The aim of this study was to quantify the cost utility of lipegfilgrastim compared to pegfilgrastim in stage II−IV breast cancer patients, taking the perspective of the Belgian payer over a lifetime horizon.Methods: Two Markov models were developed to track on- and post-chemotherapy related complications, including SN, febrile neutropenia (FN, chemotherapy dose delay, chemotherapy relative dose intensity of less than 85%, infection, death rates, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs. Data on costs (2015 value and effects were obtained from literature, national references, and complemented by a survey of clinical experts using a modified Delphi method. Both deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were carried out. Outcomes measures included costs, QALYs and life-years (LY.Results: At current equivalent price of €1,169, treatment with lipegfilgrastim was associated with overall costs of €9,845 vs. €10,208 for pegfilgrastim and overall QALYs of 13.977 vs. 13.925 for pegfilgrastim. Life expectancy was increased by 21 days (or 0.058 LY gained. The difference in costs stem from avoided infection, SN and FN cases in the lipegfilgrastim compared to the pegfilgrastim group. Similarly, the difference in QALYs was explained by the difference in the number of patients in the chemotherapy/G-CSF Markov state followed by infection and FN between lipegfilgrastim and pegfilgrastim. The probability of lipegfilgrastim to be cost-effective compared to pegfilgrastim was 68, 79, and 83% at the willingness

To evaluate the influence of {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT in comparison to CT alone on treatment decisions in patients with advanced melanoma and to analyse the 5-year survival data in comparison to literature data. Therapy management in 64 consecutive patients (primary staging n = 52; surveillance n = 12) with stage III/IV melanoma who underwent {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT between 2004 and 2005 in our department was retrospectively analysed. Treatment decisions were made by two dermatooncologists for each patient twice, first based on the CT results and then based on the PET/CT results. Therapy changes based on the PET/CT results were classified as ''major'' (e.g. change from metastasectomy to systemic therapy) or ''minor'' (e.g. change from first to second line chemotherapy). The 5-year survival data of different patient cohorts were calculated. In the 52 patients in the primary staging group, the results of {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT led to therapy change in 59 % and a major therapy change in 52 %. {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT led to the avoidance of futile operations in 13 patients with suspicious lesions on CT that were deemed nontumorous on PET/CT. In the 12 patients in the surveillance group, the results of {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT led to therapy change in 33 % and a major change in 17 %. The 5-year survival rates were 30 % in the entire cohort, 34 % in the primary staging group, and 17 % in the surveillance group. A significant overall survival benefit was observed in patients in whom {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT excluded metastases or in whom metastases could be completely removed compared with patients who were not eligible for surgery (41 % vs. 10 %). Primary staging of patients with stage III/IV melanoma should be performed with {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT, leading to higher diagnostic accuracy and enabling individualized therapeutic management, especially optimal patient selection for metastasectomy. This strategy may extend long-term survival even in patients

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC represents approximately 80% of all lung cancers. Unfortunately, at their time of diagnosis, most patients have advanced to unresectable disease with a very poor prognosis. The oriental herbal medicine HangAm-Plus (HAP has been developed for antitumor purposes, and several previous studies have reported its therapeutic effects. In this study, the efficacy of HAP was evaluated as a third-line treatment for advanced-stage IIIb/IV NSCLC. Methods: The study involved six patients treated at the East- West Cancer Center (EWCC from April 2010 to October 2011. Inoperable advanced-stage IIIb/IV NSCLC patients received 3,000 or 6,000 mg of HAP on a daily basis over a 12-week period. Computed tomography (CT scans were obtained from the patients at the time of the initial administration and after 12 weeks of treatment. We observed and analyzed the patients overall survival (OS and progression-free survival (PFS. Results: Of the six patients, three expired during the study, and the three remaining patients were alive as of October 31, 2011. The OS ranged from 234 to 512 days, with a median survival of 397 days and a one-year survival rate of 66.7%. In the 12-week-interval chest CT assessment, three patients showed stable disease (SD, and the other three showed progressive disease (PD. The PFS of patients ranged from 88 to 512 days, the median PFS being 96 days. Longer OS and PFS were correlated with SD. Although not directly comparable, the OS and the PFS of this study were greater than those of the docetaxel or the best supportive care group in other studies. Conclusion: HAP may prolong the OS and the PFS of inoperable stage IIIb/IV NSCLC patients without significant adverse effects. In the future, more controlled clinical trials with larger samples from multi-centers should be conducted to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of HAP.

Whether patients with stageIV colon cancer and unresectable distant metastases should be managed by primary colectomy followed by chemotherapy or immediate chemotherapy without resection of the primary tumor is still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate predictive factors associated with survival in patients with stageIV colon cancer and unresectable distant metastases. This large retrospective multicentric study included 6 academic hospitals. This study was conducted at 6 Paris University Hospitals (Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris; Saint Antoine, Henri Mondor, Ambroise Paré, Hôpital Europeen Gorges Pompidou, Bichat, and Avicenne). Between 1998 and 2007, 208 patients with good performance status and stageIV colon cancer with unresectable distant metastases received chemotherapy, either as initial management or after primary tumor resection. Survival was estimated by use of the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors associated with survival were tested by means of a log-rank test. Results were expressed as median values with 95% confidence intervals. Factors independently related to survival were tested using a Cox regression model adjusted for a propensity score. Of the 208 patients, 85 underwent colectomy before chemotherapy, whereas 123 were treated with use of primary chemotherapy with or without biotherapy. At univariate analysis, the following factors were significantly associated with survival: primary colectomy (P = .031), secondary curative surgery (P < .001), well-differentiated primary tumor (P < .001), exclusive liver metastases (P < .027), absence of need for colonic stent (P = .009), and addition of antiangiogenic (P = .001) or anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (P = .013) drugs to chemotherapy. After Cox multivariate analysis and after adjusting for the propensity score, all of these factors, with the exception of two, colonic stent and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor drug, were found to be independently associated with overall

A 47-year-old woman was diagnosed as advanced gastric cancer of cardia(poorly-differentiated adenocarcionoma), with multiple para-aortic lymph node and liver metastasis, in March, 2005. We attempted neo-adjuvant chemotherapy with docetaxel(DOC), cisplatin(CDDP), and S-1(DCS). After 3 courses of DCS, we confirmed that the para-aortic lymph nodes and liver metastasis became small. Then, we were able to perform total gastrectomy, splenectomy, and D2 lymph node dissection. Additionally, we performed an intraoperative radiofrequency ablation to the scar of the liver metastasis. Histopathologically, we identified lymph node metastases in #1 and #16b1 pre. S-1 and DOC were administered as adjuvant chemotherapy. At seven years since the operation, the patient has shown no signs of recurrence. Combined modality therapy for advanced gastric cancer diagnosed with stageIV can be an effective treatment, so we hope that it will be established as a standard therapy.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is more aggressive and metastatic than other breast cancer types. Cytotoxic chemotherapy is presently the predominant systemic therapy for TNBC patients. This case report highlights the influence of metabolically supported chemotherapy (MSCT), ketogenic diet (KD), hyperthermia (HT), and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in an overweight 29-year-old woman with stageIV (T4N3M1) triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. The patient presented with an observable mass in her left breast detected during a physical examination in December 2015. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System Category 5 tumor and multiple lymphadenomegaly in the left axilla. A Tru-Cut biopsy led to the diagnosis of a triple-negative nuclear grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma. The patient was admitted to ChemoThermia Oncology Center, Istanbul, Turkey in October 2016, and a whole body (18F)-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scan revealed a 77 mm x 55 mm primary tumor in her left breast, multiple left pectoral and axillary lymph nodes, multiple widespread liver masses, and an upper left nodular abdominal lesion. The patient received a treatment protocol consisting of MSCT, KD, HT, and HBOT. A follow-up whole body 18F-FDG PET-CT scan in February 2017 showed a complete therapeutic response with no evidence of abnormal FDG uptake. The patient continued to receive this treatment protocol and in April 2017 underwent a mastectomy, which revealed a complete pathological response consistent with the response indicated by her PET-CT imaging. This single case study presents evidence of a complete clinical, radiological, and pathological response following a six-month treatment period using a combination of MSCT and a novel metabolic therapy in a patient with stageIV TNBC.

We report a case of a StageIV rectal cancer patient for whom EPA oral nutritional supplements promoted treatment compliance with cancer chemotherapy by resolving a refractory cachectic condition. A 76-year-old male who developed a local re-growth of residual disease and multiple lung metastases after abdomino-perineal resection for lower rectal cancer was referred to our clinic for chemotherapy. On admission, he suffered from a loss of appetite as well as a 30% loss of usual body weight, caused by a cachectic condition with systemic inflammatory response. On starting chemotherapy, his daily diet was supplemented with EPA containing oral nutritional supplements (EPA ONS). Within 2 weeks after initiating EPA ONS treatment, the systemic inflammatory response resolved, and at the same time, body weight and the serum level of albumin increased, which allowed treatment compliance with aggressive multidrug chemotherapy. The patient gained 10 kg in body weight even after 12 months of aggressive chemotherapy, and has attained a longstanding partial remission from the disease. Although cancer cachexia is generally regarded as an end-stage irreversible pathological condition, EPA ONS may promote patient compliance with cancer chemotherapy by resolving cachectic condition, and thus may improve survival.

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to assess the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with either primary peritoneal carcinoma (PPC or ovarian serous carcinoma (OSC treated with paclitaxel plus carboplatin chemotherapy. We retrospectively identified 22 PPC patients and 55 stage III–IV OSC patients treated between 2002 and 2007. After exploratory laparotomy, all patients received paclitaxel and carboplatin every 3 weeks, with the goal of optimal cytoreduction. There were no statistically significant differences between the PPC and OSC groups with regard to tumor stage, residual tumor after debulking surgery (initial or interval, serum cancer antigen (CA 125 levels at diagnosis, and completion of first-line chemotherapy. The progression-free survival (PFS durations were 12.7 months (95% CI, 6.3–18.5 in the patients with PPC and 15.9 months (95% CI, 13.3–18.5 in those with OSC (p = 0.016. However, the median survival durations were 26.5 months (95% CI, 14.6–38.3 in the patients with PPC and 38 months (95% CI, 23.8–53.8 in those with OSC (p = 0.188. Survival was longer for all patients whose CA125 levels normalized to 26 U/ml during and after treatment. Overall survival (OS of the patients with PPC was similar to that of the patients with OSC, suggesting that management for advanced-stage OSC would be similar to that for PPC. The combination of optimal debulking with paclitaxel plus carboplatin chemotherapy may offer patients the most effective treatment. The CA125 nadir after cytoreductive surgery can be considered a prognostic factor for OS and PFS in patients with PPC.

Full Text Available HeadHER1/EGFR is known to play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis and is overexpressed in up to 80% of NSCLCs. The study of an Expanded Access Clinical Program of Erlotinib in NSCLC is a phase IV openlabel, non-randomized, multicenter trial in patients with advanced (inoperable stage IIIb/IV NSCLC who were eligible for treatment with erlotinib but had no access to trial participation. Patients for the study from Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H were selected from two Clinical centres (Sarajevo and Banja Luka. The aim of study was to evaluated efficacy and tolerability of erlotinib monotherapy in this setting. All patients who received at least one dose of erlotinib and data were entered in the database as of the CRF cut-off date of 14th May 2008 were included in analysis of data (n = 19. This population is defined as the Intent to Treat (ITT population and includes all patients who had at least one dose of erlotinib regardless of whether major protocol violations were incurred. The findings are consistent with the results of the randomized, placebo-controlled BR.21 study. Indicating that erlotinib is an effective option for patients with advanced NSCLC who are unsuitable for, or who have previously failed standard chemotherapy. In B&H group of patients DCR was almost 84%, and PFS was approximately 24,7 weeks (compared with 44% and 9,7 weeks for erlotinib reported in phase III. Almost three quarter of the patients received erlotinib as their second line of therapy. Overall, erlotinib was well tolerated; there were no patients who withdrew due to a treatment-related AE (mainly rash and there were few dose reductions. 24% of patients experienced an SAE (most commonly gastrointestinal (GI disorders.

During mantle metasomatism, fluid-rock interactions in the mantle modify wall-rock compositions. Previous studies usually either investigated mineral compositions in xenoliths and xenocrysts brought up by magmas, or examined fluid compositions preserved in fluid inclusions in diamonds. However, a key study of Panda diamonds analysed both mineral and fluid inclusions in the diamonds [1] which we used to develop a quantitative characterization of mantle metasomatic processes. In the present study, we used an extended Deep Earth Water model [2] to simulate fluid-rock interactions at upper mantle conditions, and examine the fluids and mineral assemblages together simultaneously. Three types of end-member fluids in the Panda diamond fluid inclusions include saline, rich in Na+K+Cl; silicic, rich in Si+Al; and carbonatitic, rich in Ca+Mg+Fe [1, 3]. We used the carbonatitic end-member to represent fluid from a subducting slab reacting with an excess of peridotite + some saline fluid in the host environment. During simultaneous fluid mixing and reaction with the host rock, the logfO2 increased by about 1.6 units, and the pH increased by 0.7 units. The final minerals were olivine, garnet and diamond. The Mg# of olivine decreased from 0.92 to 0.85. Garnet precipitated at an early stage, and its Mg# also decreased with reaction progress, in agreement with the solid inclusions in the Panda diamonds. Phlogopite precipitated as an intermediate mineral and then disappeared. The aqueous Ca, Mg, Fe, Si and Al concentrations all increased, while Na, K, and Cl concentrations decreased during the reaction, consistent with trends in the fluid inclusion compositions. Our study demonstrates that fluids coming from subducting slabs could trigger mantle metasomatism, influence the compositions of sub-lithospherc cratonic mantle, precipitate diamonds, and change the oxygen fugacity and pH of the upper mantle fluids. [1] Tomlinson et al. EPSL (2006); [2] Sverjensky, DA et al., GCA (2014

Purpose: We investigated the efficacy and safety of weekly low-dose docetaxel and cisplatin therapy concurrent with conventionally fractionated radiation in patients with technically resectable stage III-IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Methods and Materials: Between March 2004 and October 2011, we enrolled 117 patients, of whom 116 were analyzable (43 had oropharyngeal cancer, 54 had hypopharyngeal cancer, and 19 had laryngeal cancer), and 85 (73%) had stageIV disease. Radiation consisted of 66 Gy in 33 fractions. Docetaxel, 10 mg/m{sup 2}, followed by cisplatin, 20 mg/m{sup 2}, administered on the same day were given once a week for 6 cycles. The primary endpoint was overall complete response (CR) rate after chemoradiation therapy. Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in oropharyngeal cancer was examined by PCR. Results: Of 116 patients, 82 (71%) completed treatment per protocol; 102 (88%) received the full radiation therapy dose; and 90 (78%) and 12 (10%) patients received 6 and 5 chemotherapy cycles, respectively. Overall CR rate was 71%. After median follow-up of 50.9 months (range: 15.6-113.9 months for surviving patients), 2-year and 4-year overall survival rates were 82% and 68%, respectively. Cumulative 2-year and 4-year local failure rates were 27% and 28%, respectively, whereas distant metastasis rates were 15% and 22%, respectively. HPV status in oropharyngeal cancer was not associated with treatment efficacy. Acute toxicity included grade 3 and 4 in-field mucositis in 73% and 5% of patients, respectively, whereas myelosuppression and renal injury were minimal. No patients died of toxicity. Feeding tube dependence in 8% and tracheostomy in 1% of patients were evident at 2 years postchemoradiation therapy in patients who survived without local treatment failure. Conclusions: Local control and survival with this regimen were satisfactory. Although acute toxicity, such as mucositis, was common, late toxicity, such as laryngoesophageal

Operative resection can be associated with improved survival for selected patients with stageIV malignancies but may also be associated with prohibitive acute morbidity and mortality. We sought to evaluate rates of acute morbidity and mortality after lung resection in patients with disseminated malignancy with primary lung cancer and non-lung cancer pulmonary metastatic disease. For 2011-2012, 6,360 patients were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program undergoing lung resections, including 603 patients with disseminated malignancy. Logistic regression analyses were used to compare outcomes between patients with and without disseminated malignancy. After controlling for preoperative and intraoperative differences, we observed no statistically significant differences in rates of 30-day overall and serious morbidity or mortality between disseminated malignancy and non-disseminated malignancy patients (P > .05). Disseminated malignancy patients were less likely to have a prolonged duration of stay and be discharged to a facility compared to non-disseminated malignancy patients (P

Chemotherapy regimens may have differential efficacy by histology in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We examined the impact of histology on survival of patients (N = 2,644) with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC who received first-line cisplatin/carboplatin plus gemcitabine (C/C+G) and cisplatin/carboplatin plus a taxane (C/C+T) identified retrospectively in the SEER cancer registry (1997–2002). Patients with squamous and nonsquamous cell carcinoma survived 8.5 months and 8.1 months, respectively (P = .018). No statistically significant difference was observed in survival between C/C+G and C/C+T in both histologies. Adjusting for clinical and demographic characteristics, the effect of treatment regimen on survival did not differ by histology (P for interaction = .257). There was no statistically significant difference in hazard of death by histology in both groups. These results contrast the predictive role of histology and improved survival outcomes observed for cisplatin-pemetrexed regimens in advanced nonsquamous NSCLC. PMID:22482053

Full Text Available Chemotherapy regimens may have differential efficacy by histology in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC. We examined the impact of histology on survival of patients (N=2,644 with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC who received first-line cisplatin/carboplatin plus gemcitabine (C/C+G and cisplatin/carboplatin plus a taxane (C/C+T identified retrospectively in the SEER cancer registry (1997–2002. Patients with squamous and nonsquamous cell carcinoma survived 8.5 months and 8.1 months, respectively (P=.018. No statistically significant difference was observed in survival between C/C+G and C/C+T in both histologies. Adjusting for clinical and demographic characteristics, the effect of treatment regimen on survival did not differ by histology (P for interaction =.257. There was no statistically significant difference in hazard of death by histology in both groups. These results contrast the predictive role of histology and improved survival outcomes observed for cisplatin-pemetrexed regimens in advanced nonsquamous NSCLC.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the predictive factors for acute grade 4 swallowing toxicity in an attempt to identify which patients may benefit from early intervention with enteral feeding during curative radiation treatment for localised Stages 3-4 squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. It was hypothesised that craniocaudal length of the treatment field to the upper neck and pharynx would correlate with grade 4 swallowing toxicity due to the increased volume of pharynx irradiated. Patients and methods: Toxicity data were collected prospectively as part of a phase III randomised trial (TROG 91:01) that assigned patients to either conventional (CRT) or accelerated radiotherapy (ART). Patients were randomly assigned to either CRT, using a single 2 Gy per day to a dose of 70 Gy in 35 fractions in 49 days or to ART, using 1.8 Gy twice a day to a dose of 59.4 Gy in 33 fractions in 24 days. Treatment allocation was stratified for site and stage. Accrual commenced in 1991 and the trial was closed in 1998 when the target of 350 patients was reached. Potential factors were analysed that predicted for Grade IV swallowing toxicity. Results: The treatment field lengths >82 mm for the second phase increased the probability of requiring intervention with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) or Nasogastric tube (NGT). The probability of grade 4 swallowing was 36% if the phase 2 treatment length was >82 mm vs 16% for less ≤82 mm (p = 0.0001). A predictive enteral grading score (PEG score) was derived using the Cox regression coefficients: Field length of the boost volume >82 mm scored 3 points, Stage grouping greater than 1 scored 1 point, altered fractionation scored 2 points, ECOG greater than 1 scored 1 point. The PEG score was 45% if the score was ≥6 and 19% if the score was <6 (p = 0.0). Conclusions: More attention needs to be focused on developing robust dose and volume constraints for the pharyngeal mucosa and the musculature in order

The prognosis of advanced (stageIV) cancer of the digestive organs is very poor. We have previously reported a case of advanced breast cancer with bone metastasis that was successfully treated with combined treatments including autologous formalin-fixed tumor vaccine (AFTV). Herein, we report the success of this approach in advanced stageIV (heavily metastasized) cases of gall bladder cancer and colon cancer. Case 1: A 61-year-old woman with stageIV gall bladder cancer (liver metastasis and lymph node metastasis) underwent surgery in May 2011, including partial resection of the liver. She was treated with AFTV as the first-line adjuvant therapy, followed by conventional chemotherapy. This patient is still alive without any recurrence, as confirmed with computed tomography, for more than 5 years. Case 2: A 64-year-old man with stageIV colon cancer (multiple para-aortic lymph node metastases and direct abdominal wall invasion) underwent non-curative surgery in May 2006. Following conventional chemotherapy, two courses of AFTV and radiation therapy were administered sequentially. This patient has had no recurrence for more than 5 years. We report the success of combination therapy including AFTV in cases of liver-metastasized gall bladder cancer and abdominal wall-metastasized colon cancer. Both patients experienced long-lasting, complete remission. Therefore, combination therapies including AFTV should be considered in patients with advanced cancer of the digestive organs.

To compare and contrast the patterns of failure in patients with locally advanced squamous cell oropharyngeal cancers undergoing curative-intent treatment with primary surgery or radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy. Two hundred and thirty-three patients with stage III or IV oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent curative-intent treatment from 2006-2012, were reviewed. The median length of follow-up for patients still alive at the time of analysis was 4.4 years. Data was collected retrospectively from a chart review. One hundred and thirty-nine patients underwent primary surgery +/- adjuvant therapy, and 94 patients underwent primary radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy (CRT). Demographics were similar between the two groups, except primary radiotherapy patients had a higher age-adjusted Charleston co-morbidity score (CCI). Twenty-nine patients from the surgery group recurred; 15 failed distantly only, seven failed locoregionally, and seven failed both distantly and locoregionally. Twelve patients recurred who underwent chemoradiotherapy; ten distantly alone, and two locoregionally. One patient who underwent radiotherapy (RT) alone failed distantly. Two and five-year recurrence-free survival rates for patients undergoing primary RT were 86.6% and 84.9% respectively. Two and five-year recurrence-free survival rates for primary surgery was 80.9% and 76.3% respectively (p=0.21). There was no significant difference in either treatment when they were stratified by p16 status or smoking status. Our analysis does not show any difference in outcomes for patients treated with primary surgery or radiotherapy. Although the primary pattern of failure in both groups was distant metastatic disease, some local failures may be preventable with careful delineation of target volumes, especially near the base of skull region.

Purpose: This study was designed to assess the 3-year experience with superselective intraarterial chemotherapy prior to definitive treatment for stages III and IV squamous cell carcinomas of the mouth. Methods: Twenty-two patients prospectively received superselective intraarterial chemotherapy using relatively low-dose cisplatin via a transfemoral approach. The locations of the tumors were the tongue (n= 12), gingiva (n= 5), buccal mucosa (n= 2), hard palate (n= 1), floor of the mouth (n= 1), and lip (n= 1). After intraarterial chemotherapy, 21 patients underwent surgery (n= 14), radiation therapy (n= 6), or both (n= 1). The survival rate of 25 patients who underwent surgery with/without radiation therapy until 1992 at Kumamoto University Hospital was also evaluated as a historical control. The survival curve was calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method, and the statistical difference between survival curves was determined with the generalized Wilcoxon test. Results: The overall response rate was 95% [complete response (tumor completely resolved), 24%; partial response (tumor reduction ≥50%), 71%]. Fifty-two intraarterial infusions were performed without any catheter-related complications. Mild and transient local toxicity such as edema or mucositis of the infused area was relatively common. One patient died of renal failure from cisplatin. After a median follow-up of 20 months (range 2-41 months), the estimated 3-year survival rate for patients who underwent intraarterial chemotherapy plus surgery was 91%. The survival of the patients who underwent intraarterial chemotherapy plus surgery tended to be longer than that of the historical control. Conclusions: Early tumor reduction without delay of subsequent treatments can be obtained by intraarterial chemotherapy while minimizing complications and possibly improving survival. Further investigations of long-term survival with larger series need to be performed

Peritoneal metastasis from lung cancer is an uncommon clinical event and there are limited data on what factors predict peritoneal progression. This study retrospectively investigated whether patterns of metastatic spread and oncogene status in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are associated with peritoneal metastasis. Patients with metastatic non-squamous NSCLC (n=410) were identified at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. Sites of metastatic disease and baseline oncogene status (EGFR, ALK, KRAS, or triple negative) were documented via a retrospective chart review. In patients with EGFR mutations who developed peritoneal disease, we documented the presence of known resistance mechanisms. Median time to peritoneal metastasis, time from peritoneal disease to death, and overall survival were collected. Eight percent (33/410) patients in this study developed peritoneal metastasis. Malignant pleural disease at baseline was significantly associated with subsequent peritoneal spread. There was no association between oncogene status and peritoneal metastasis. Three patients with EGFR mutations who developed peritoneal metastasis had documented resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in the ascitic fluid. Median time from stageIV disease to peritoneal metastasis was 16.5 months (range 0.6-108 months). There were no differences in overall survival between patients who developed peritoneal metastasis and those who did not. Malignant pleural disease is highly associated with peritoneal metastasis in patients with advanced NSCLC. The underlying mechanism is not clear. The presence of resistance mutations in ascitic fluid implies that poor drug penetration is unlikely to be the dominant mechanism. Despite being a late clinical finding, there were no differences in overall survival between patients who developed peritoneal metastasis and those who did not. Additional studies exploring treatment related factors in patients with malignant

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a leading cause of cancer mortality. The majority of patients present with advanced (stage III-IV) disease. Such patients are treated with a variety of therapies including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Despite decades of work, however, overall survival in this group has been resistant to any substantial improvement. This review briefly details the evolution to the current standard of care for advanced NSCLC, advances in systemic therapy, and ...

The oxygen fugacity (fO2) of the Earth's upper mantle appears to lie somewhat above that of the iron-wu??stite buffer, its fO2 is assumed to have been similar to the present value at the time of core formation. In the upper mantle, the Fe-rich liquid protocore that would form under such conditions of fO2 at elevated temperatures would lie predominantly in the system Fe-S-O. Distribution coefficients for Co, Cu, Ni, Ir, Au, Ir, W, Re, Mo, Ag and Ga between such liquids and basalt are known and minimum values are known for Ge. From these coefficients, upper mantle abundances for the above elements can be calculated by assuming cosmic abundances for the whole Earth and equilibrium between the Fe-S-O protocore and upper mantle. These calculated abundances are surprisingly close to presently known upper mantle abundances; agreements are within a factor of 5, except for Cu, W, and Mo. Therefore, siderophile element abundances in the upper mantle based on known distribution coefficients do not demand a late-stage meteoritic bombardment, and a protocore formed from the upper mantle containing S and O seems likely. As upper mantle abundances fit a local equilibrium model, then either the upper mantle has not been mixed with the rest of the mantle since core formation, or else partition coefficients between protocore and mantle were similar for the whole mantle regardless of P, T, and fO2. The latter possibility seems unlikely over such a P-T range. ?? 1984.

Due to the strongly reducing conditions (the presence of metallic iron was suggested both by experiments [1] and theory [2]), diamond was believed to be the main host of carbon through most of the lower mantle [3]. We showed [4] that cementite Fe3C is another good candidate to be the main host of "reduced" carbon in the mantle, reinforcing an earlier hypothesis [5]. The fate of "oxidised" carbon (in subducted slabs) is of particular importance - if carbonates decompose producing fluid CO2, this would have important implications for the chemistry and rheology of the mantle. Knowledge of crystal structures and phase diagrams of carbonates is crucial here. The high-pressure structures of CaCO3 were predicted [6] and subsequently verified by experiments. For MgCO3, Isshiki et al. [7] found a new phase above 110 GPa, and several attempts were made to solve it [8,9]. Here [4], using an evolutionary algorithm for crystal structure prediction [10], we show that there are two post-magnesite phases at mantle-relevant pressure range, one stable at 82-138 GPa, and the other from 138 GPa to ~160 GPa. Both are based on threefold rings of CO4-tetrahedra and are more favourable than all previously proposed structures. We show that through most of the P-T conditions of the mantle, MgCO3 is the major host of oxidized carbon in the Earth. We predict the possibility of CO2 release at the very bottom of the mantle (in SiO2-rich basaltic part of subducted slabs), which could enhance partial melting of rocks and be related to the geodynamical differences between the Earth and Venus. 1.Frost D.J., Liebske C., Langenhorst F., McCammon C.A., Tronnes R.G., Rubie D.C. (2004). Experimental evidence for the existence of iron-rich metal in the Earth's lower mantle. Nature 428, 409-412. 2.Zhang F., Oganov A.R. (2006). Valence and spin states of iron impurities in mantle-forming silicates. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 249, 436-443. 3.Luth R.W. (1999). Carbon and carbonates in the mantle. In: Mantle

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) for severe developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a technically demanding procedure for arthroplasty surgeons, and it is often difficult to reduce the hip joint without soft tissue release due to severe flexion contracture. We performed two-stage THAs in irreducible hips with expected lengthening of the affected limb after THA of over 2.5 cm or with flexion contractures of greater than 30 degrees in order to place the acetabular cup in the true acetabulum and to prevent neurologic deficits associated with acute elongation of the limb. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of cementless THA in patients with severe DDH with a special focus on the results of two-stage THA. Retrospective clinical and radiological evaluations were done on 17 patients with Crowe type III or IV developmental DDH treated by THA. There were 14 women and 3 men with a mean age of 52.3 years. Follow-ups averaged 52 months. Six cases were treated with two-stage THA followed by surgical hip liberalization and skeletal traction for 2 weeks. The mean Harris hip score improved from 40.9 to 89.1, and mean leg length discrepancy (LLD) in 13 unilateral cases was reduced from 2.95 to 0.8 cm. In the patients who underwent two-stage surgery, no nerve palsy was observed, and the single one-stage patient with incomplete peroneal nerve palsy recovered fully 4 weeks postoperatively. The short-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of primary cementless THA for patients with Crowe type III or IV DDH were encouraging. Two-stage THA followed by skeletal traction after soft tissue release could provide alternative solutions to the minimization of limb shortenings or LLD without neurologic deficits in highly selected patients.

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a leading cause of cancer mortality. The majority of patients present with advanced (stage III-IV) disease. Such patients are treated with a variety of therapies including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Despite decades of work, however, overall survival in this group has been resistant to any substantial improvement. This review briefly details the evolution to the current standard of care for advanced NSCLC, advances in systemic therapy, and novel techniques (stereotactic body radiation therapy [SBRT], and transcervical extended mediastinal lymphadenectomy [TEMLA] or video-assisted mediastinal lymphadenectomy [VAMLA]) that have been used in localized NSCLC. The utility of these techniques in advanced stage therapy and potential methods of combining these novel techniques with systemic therapy to improve survival are discussed.

The initial Pb compositions of one enriched shergottite, one intermediate shergottite, two depleted shergottites, and Nakhla have been measured by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). These values, in addition to data from previous studies using an identical analytical method performed on three enriched shergottites, ALH 84001, and Chassigny, are used to construct a unified and internally consistent model for the differentiation history of the Martian mantle and crystallization ages for Martian meteorites. The differentiation history of the shergottites and Nakhla/Chassigny are fundamentally different, which is in agreement with short-lived radiogenic isotope systematics. The initial Pb compositions of Nakhla/Chassigny are best explained by the late addition of a Pb-enriched component with a primitive, non-radiogenic composition. In contrast, the Pb isotopic compositions of the shergottite group indicate a relatively simple evolutionary history of the Martian mantle that can be modeled based on recent results from the Sm-Nd system. The shergottites have been linked to a single mantle differentiation event at 4504 Ma. Thus, the shergottite Pb isotopic model here reflects a two-stage history 1) pre-silicate differentiation (4504 Ma) and 2) post-silicate differentiation to the age of eruption (as determined by concordant radiogenic isochron ages). The μ-values (238U/204Pb) obtained for these two different stages of Pb growth are μ1 of 1.8 and a range of μ2 from 1.4-4.7, respectively. The μ1-value of 1.8 is in broad agreement with enstatite and ordinary chondrites and that proposed for proto Earth, suggesting this is the initial μ-value for inner Solar System bodies. When plotted against other source radiogenic isotopic variables (Sri, γ187Os, ε143Nd, and ε176Hf), the second stagemantle evolution range in observed mantle μ-values display excellent linear correlations (r2 > 0.85) and represent a spectrum of Martian mantle mixing-end members (depleted

In this work, we investigate global seismic tomographic models obtained by spectral-element simulations of seismic wave propagation and adjoint methods. Global crustal and mantle models are obtained based on an iterative conjugate-gradient type of optimization scheme. Forward and adjoint seismic wave propagation simulations, which result in synthetic seismic data to make measurements and data sensitivity kernels to compute gradient for model updates, respectively, are performed by the SPECFEM3D-GLOBE package [1] [2] at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF) to study the structure of the Earth at unprecedented levels. Using advances in solver techniques that run on the GPUs on Titan at the OLCF, scientists are able to perform large-scale seismic inverse modeling and imaging. Using seismic data from global and regional networks from global CMT earthquakes, scientists are using SPECFEM3D-GLOBE to understand the structure of the mantle layer of the Earth. Visualization of the generated data sets provide an effective way to understand the computed wave perturbations which define the structure of mantle in the Earth.

Full Text Available Lymphedema (LE is a chronic medical condition characterized by lymphatic fluid retention, resulting in tissue swelling. Cancer treatments involving lymph nodes can damage lymph drainage routes, causing accumulation of lymph fluid in the interstitial tissue of related limbs and body areas and secondary LE. Basically, the LE has a negative impact on physical and mental quality of life. Moreover, 0.07-0.04% of long term survivors (most patients undergone mastectomy can develop the Stewart-Treves syndrome, a rare and aggressive multifocal lymphangiosarcoma arising within the LE region. Here we describe a 45-year-old woman with a massive LE of the left arm, as a consequence of previous breast cancer, who was diagnosed after 4 years of stageIVmantle cell lymphoma (MCL . The patient after obtaining complete remission with chemotherapy and ABMT relapsed of MCL in lymphedema site.

Treatment of advanced melanoma patients with ipilimumab results in improved survival. However, only about 20% of treated patients experience long-term benefit. Combining treatment of ipilimumab with other drugs may improve immune activation and potentially enhance clinical efficacy. The aims of the phase II clinical trial reported here were to investigate tolerability and efficacy of a combined immunotherapeutic strategy comprising standard systemic ipilimumab at 3 mg/kg four times at 3-week intervals and intratumorally injected IL-2 at 9 MIU daily twice weekly for four weeks in pretreated melanoma patients with distant metastasis. The primary endpoint was the disease control rate according to immune-related response criteria at week 12; tolerability according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events criteria was secondary endpoint. No objective responses were observed in the 15 enrolled patients. Three patients had stable disease 12 weeks after starting treatment, yielding a disease control rate of 20%. Tolerability of this combination treatment was acceptable. Observed adverse events were those expected from the respective monotherapies. Autoimmune colitis was observed in two patients. Grade III/IV adverse events were observed in 40% of patients, and no treatment-related deaths occurred. Thus, this combined immunotherapy is associated with adverse events similar to those associated with the respective monotherapies. However, this study does not provide any evidence of improved efficacy of the combination over ipilimumab alone.

Objectives. Retrospective review of our experience using intensity-modulated radiotherapy with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB-IMRT) combined with chemotherapy as the primary treatment of locoregionally advanced larynx and hypopharynx cancers. Materials and Methods. Between September 2008 and June 2012, 60 patients (26 with larynx and 34 hypopharynx cancers) were treated. Our policy was to offer SIB-IMRT plus concurrent cisplatin to patients affected by larynx cancer stage T3N0-N1 and NCT with TPF (docetaxel/cisplatin/fluorouracil) followed by SIB-IMRT to patients with larynx cancer stage T2-4N2-3 or hypopharynx cancer T2-4N0-3. SIB-IMRT consisted in a total dose of 70.95 Gy (2.15 Gy/fraction, 5 fractions/week) to the gross primary and nodal disease and differentiated dosages for high risk and low risk nodal regions. Results. Complete remission was achieved in 53/60 (88%) of patients. At a median follow up of 31 months (range 9–67), the rate of overall survival and locoregional control with functional larynx at 3 years were 68% and 60%, respectively. T stage (T1–3 versus T4) resulted in being significant for predicting 3-year freedom from relapse (it was 69% and 35%, resp., for T1–T3 and T4 tumors; (Ρ =0.35),while site of primary disease (larynx versus hypopharynx) was not significant (Ρ =0.35). Conclusion. Our results indicated that combining SIB-IMRT with induction chemotherapy or concurrent chemotherapy is an effective treatment strategy for organ preservation in advanced larynx/hypopharynx cancer.

Parental selection influences the gain from selection and the optimum allocation of test resources in breeding programs. We compared two hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) breeding schemes with evaluation of testcross progenies: (a) doubled haploid (DH) lines in both stages (DHTC) and (b) S(1) families in the first stage and DH lines within S(1) families in the second stage (S(1)TC-DHTC). Our objectives were to (1) determine the optimum allocation regarding the number of crosses, S(1) families, DH lines, and test locations, (2) investigate the impact of parental selection on the optimum allocation and selection gain (DeltaG), and (3) compare the maximum DeltaG achievable with each breeding scheme. Selection gain was calculated by numerical integration. Different assumptions were made regarding the budget, variance components, correlation between the mean phenotypic performance of the parents and the mean genotypic value of the testcross performance of their progenies (rho( P )), and the composition of the finally selected test candidates. In comparison with randomly chosen crosses, maximum DeltaG was largely increased with parental selection in both breeding schemes. With an increasing correlation rho( P ), this superiority increased strongly, while the optimum number of crosses decreased in favor of an increased number of test candidates within crosses. Thus, concentration on few crosses among the best parental lines might be a promising approach for short-term success in advanced cycle breeding. Breeding scheme S(1)TC-DHTC led to a larger DeltaG but had a longer cycle length than DHTC. However, with further improvements in the DH technique and the realization of more than two generations per year, early testing of S(1) families prior to production of DH lines would become very attractive in hybrid maize breeding.

International audience; In the upper mantle, diamonds can potentially grow from various forms of media (solid, gas, fluid) with a range of compositions (e.g. graphite, C–O–H fluids, silicate or carbonate melts). Inclusions trapped in diamonds are one of the few diagnostic tools that can constrain diamond growth conditions in the Earth's mantle. In this study, inclusion-bearing diamonds have been synthesized to understand the growth conditions of natural diamonds in the upper mantle. Diamonds ...

Full Text Available Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO is available for correcting anemia. PDpoetin, a new brand of rHuEPO, has been certified by Food and Drug Department of Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran for clinical use in patients with chronic kidney disease. We conducted this post-marketing survey to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of PDpoetin for management of anemia in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Patients from 4 centers in Iran were enrolled for this multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled phase IV clinical trial. Changes in blood chemistry, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, renal function, and other characteristics of the patients were recorded for 4 months; 501 of the patients recruited, completed this study. Mean age of the patients was 50.9 (±16.2 years. 48.7% of patients were female. Mean of the hemoglobin value in all of the 4 centers was 9.29 (±1.43 g/dL at beginning of the study and reached 10.96 (±2.23 g/dL after 4 months and showed significant increase overall (P<0.001. PDpoetin dose was stable at 50-100 U/kg thrice weekly. Hemorheologic disturbancesand changes in blood electrolytes was not observed. No case of immunological reactions to PDpoetin was observed. Our study, therefore, showed that PDpoetin has significantly raised the level of hemoglobin in the hemodialysis patients (about 1.7±0.6 g/dL. Anemia were successfully corrected in 49% of patients under study. Use of this biosimilar was shown to be safe and effective for the maintenance of hemoglobin in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

We present new ultra-high precision 142 Nd/ 144 Nd measurements of early Archaean rocks using the new generation thermal ionization mass spectrometer TRITON. Repeated measurements of the Ames Nd standard demonstrate that the 142 Nd/ 144 Nd ratio can be determined with external precision of 2 ppm (2s), allowing confident resolution of anomalies as small as 5 ppm. A major analytical improvement lies in the elimination of the double normalization procedure required to correct our former measurements from a secondary mass fractionation effect. Our new results indicate that metasediments, meta-basalts and orthogneisses from the 3.6 - 3.8 Ga West Greenland craton display positive 142 Nd anomalies ranging from 8 to 15 ppm. Using a simple two-stage model with initial e 143 Nd value of 1.9 ± 0.6 e-units, coupled 147 Sm- 143 Nd and 146 Sm- 142 Nd chronometry constrains mantle differentiation to 50 to 200 Ma after formation of the solar system. This chronological constraint is consistent with differentiation of the Earth's mantle during the late stage of crystallization of a magma ocean. We have developed a two-box model describing 142 Nd and 143 Nd isotopic evolution of depleted mantle during the subsequent evolution of the crust-mantle system. Our results indicate that early terrestrial proto-crust had a lifetime of ca. 500 Ma in order to produce the observed Nd isotope signature of Archaean rocks. In the context of this two box mantle-crust system, we model the evolution of isotopic and chemical heterogeneity of depleted mantle as a function of the mantle stirring time. Using the dispersion of 142 Nd/ 144 Nd and 143 Nd/ 144 Nd ratios observed in early Archaean rocks, we constrain the stirring time of early Earth's mantle to 100 - 150 Ma, a factor of 5 to 10 shorter than stirring time inferred from modern oceanic basalts. (author)

Full Text Available StageIV non-small cell lung cancer is a fatal disease, with a median survival of 14 months. Systemic chemotherapy is the most common approach. However the impact in overall survival and quality of life still a controversy. OBJECTIVES: To determine differences in overall survival and quality of life among patients with stageIV non-small cell lung cancer non-metastatic to the brain treated with best supportive care versus systemic chemotherapy. PATIENTS: From February 1990 through December 1995, 78 eligible patients were admitted with the diagnosis of stageIV non-small cell lung cancer . Patients were divided in 2 groups: Group A (n=31 -- treated with best supportive care , and Group B (n=47 -- treated with systemic chemotherapy. RESULTS: The median survival time was 23 weeks (range 5 -- 153 weeks in Group A and 55 weeks (range 7.4 -- 213 weeks in Group B (p=0.0018. In both groups, the incidence of admission for IV antibiotics and need of blood transfusions were similar. Patients receiving systemic chemotherapy were also stratified into those receiving mytomycin, vinblastin, and cisplatinum, n=25 and those receiving other combination regimens (platinum derivatives associated with other drugs, n=22. Patients receiving mytomycin, vinblastin, and cisplatinum, n=25 had a higher incidence of febrile neutropenia and had their cycles delayed for longer periods of time than the other group. These patients also had a shorter median survival time (51 versus 66 weeks, p=0.005. CONCLUSION: In patients with stageIV non-small cell lung cancer, non-metastatic to the brain, chemotherapy significantly increases survival compared with best supportive care.O câncer de pulmão de células não pequenas em estádio IV é uma doença fatal, com uma sobrevida mediana de seis meses. Quimioterapia é a abordagem mais freqüente, apresentando um impacto na sobrevida controverso e questionável alteração na qualidade de vida. OBJETIVOS: Comparar o impacto na

Full Text Available The prognosis of patients diagnosed with stageIV nonsmall cell lung cancer that have brain and brainstem metastasis is very poor, with less than a third surviving a year past their initial date of diagnosis. We present the rare case of a 57-year-old man who is a long-term survivor of brainstem and recurrent brain metastasis, after aggressive treatment. He is now five and a half years out from diagnosis and continues to live a highly functional life without evidence of disease. Four separate Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgeries in conjunction with two craniotomies were utilized since his initial diagnosis to treat recurrent brain metastasis while chemoradiation therapy and thoracic surgery were used to treat his primary disease in the right upper lung. In his situation, Gamma Knife radiosurgery proved to be a valuable, safe, and effective tool for the treatment of multiply recurrent brain metastases within critical normal structures.

The Earth's deep interior contains significant reservoirs of volatiles such as H, C, and N. Due to the incompatible nature of these volatile species, it has been difficult to reconcile their storage in the residual mantle immediately following crystallization of the terrestrial magma ocean (MO). As the magma ocean freezes, it is commonly assumed that very small amounts of melt are retained in the residual mantle, limiting the trapped volatile concentration in the primordial mantle. In this article, we show that inefficient melt drainage out of the freezing front can retain large amounts of volatiles hosted in the trapped melt in the residual mantle while creating a thick early atmosphere. Using a two-phase flow model, we demonstrate that compaction within the moving freezing front is inefficient over time scales characteristic of magma ocean solidification. We employ a scaling relation between the trapped melt fraction, the rate of compaction, and the rate of freezing in our magma ocean evolution model. For cosmochemically plausible fractions of volatiles delivered during the later stages of accretion, our calculations suggest that up to 77% of total H2O and 12% of CO2 could have been trapped in the mantle during magma ocean crystallization. The assumption of a constant trapped melt fraction underestimates the mass of volatiles in the residual mantle by more than an order of magnitude.Plain Language SummaryThe Earth's deep interior contains substantial amounts of volatile elements like C, H, and N. How these elements got sequestered in the Earth's interior has long been a topic of debate. It is generally assumed that most of these elements escaped the interior of the Earth during the first few hundred thousand years to create a primitive atmosphere, leaving the mantle reservoir nearly empty. In this work, we show that the key to this paradox involves the very early stages of crystallization of the mantle from a global magma ocean. Using numerical models, we show

Full Text Available Background: Until very recently mantle field radiotherapy remained the gold standard for the treatment of favorable early-stage Hodgkin′s lymphoma. The classic mantle includes all the major lymph nodes above the diaphragm and extends from the inferior portion of the mandible to the level of the insertion of the diaphragm. Aims: To describe a simple technique that has been devised to treat the mantle field with the help of multileaf collimator and using computed tomography (CT-based treatment planning. Materials and Methods: CT scan was performed with the patient in the supine position and the datasets were transferred to the Eclipse treatment planning system. Elekta Precise linear accelerator equipped with 40 pairs of multileaf collimator (MLC was used for the execution of the mantle field. The MLC′s shapes were designed to take the shape of the conventional customized blocks used for treatment of mantle field. The anterior mantle field was divided into three separate MLC segments with the collimator kept at 0°. The first MLC segment was shaped to cover the neck, clavicular regions, and mediastinum. The second and the third MLC segments covered the right and left axilla, respectively. The posterior fields were opposed to the anterior subfields in a similar fashion. The dose was prescribed at the midplane, using reference points. Results and Conclusion: The technique described in this study is very simple, easy to implement, and avoids unnecessary delay in the execution of the mantle field. The mantle field can be easily shaped with the multileaf collimators, without any collimator rotation.

Full Text Available The reconciliation of mantle chemistry with the structure of the mantle inferred from geophysics and dynamical modelling has been a long-standing problem. This paper reviews three main aspects. First, extensions and refinements of dynamical modelling and theory of mantle processing over the past decade. Second, a recent reconsideration of the implications of mantle heterogeneity for melting, melt migration, mantle differentiation and mantle segregation. Third, a recent proposed shift in the primitive chemical baseline of the mantle inferred from observations of non-chondritic 142Nd in the Earth. It seems most issues can now be resolved, except the level of heating required to maintain the mantle's thermal evolution.

A reconciliation of refractory trace elements and their isotopes with the dynamical mantle, proposed and given preliminary quantification by Hofmann, White and Christensen, has been strengthened by work over the past decade. The apparent age of lead isotopes and the broad refractory-element differences among and between ocean island basalts (OIBs and mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs can now be quantitatively accounted for with some assurance.

The association of the least radiogenic helium with relatively depleted sources and their location in the mantle have been enigmatic. The least radiogenic helium samples have recently been recognised as matching the proposed non-chondritic primitive mantle. It has also been proposed recently that noble gases reside in a so-called hybrid pyroxenite assemblage that is the result of melt from fusible pods reacting with surrounding refractory peridotite and refreezing. Hybrid pyroxenite that is off-axis may not remelt and erupt at MORs, so its volatile constituents would recirculate within the mantle. Hybrid pyroxenite is likely to be denser than average mantle, and thus some would tend to settle in the D" zone at the base of the mantle, along with some old subducted

The dynamics of Earth's lowermost mantle exert significant control on the formation of mantle plumes and the core-mantle boundary (CMB) heat flux. However, it is not clear if and how the variation of CMB heat flux and mantle plume activity are related. Here, we perform geodynamic model experiments that show how temporal variations in CMB heat flux and pulses of mantle plumes are related to morphologic changes of the thermochemical piles of large-scale compositional heterogeneities in Earth's lowermost mantle, represented by the large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs). We find good correlation between the morphologic changes of the thermochemical piles and the time variation of CMB heat flux. The morphology of the thermochemical piles is significantly altered during the initiation and ascent of strong mantle plumes, and the changes in pile morphology cause variations in the local and the total CMB heat flux. Our modeling results indicate that plume-induced episodic variations of CMB heat flux link geomagnetic superchrons to pulses of surface volcanism, although the relative timing of these two phenomena remains problematic. We also find that the density distribution in thermochemical piles is heterogeneous, and that the piles are denser on average than the surrounding mantle when both thermal and chemical effects are included.

There is an ongoing debate regarding whether or not mantle plumes exist. This debate has highlighted a number of issues regarding how Earth science is currently practised, and how this feeds into approaches toward teaching students. The plume model is an hypothesis, not a proven fact. And yet many researchers assume a priori that plumes exist. This assumption feeds into teaching. That the plume model is unproven, and that many practising researchers are skeptical, may be at best only mentioned in passing to students, with most teachers assuming that plumes are proven to exist. There is typically little emphasis, in particular in undergraduate teaching, that the origin of melting anomalies is currently uncertain and that scientists do not know all the answers. Little encouragement is given to students to become involved in the debate and to consider the pros and cons for themselves. Typically teachers take the approach that “an answer” (or even “the answer”) must be taught to students. Such a pedagogic approach misses an excellent opportunity to allow students to participate in an important ongoing debate in Earth sciences. It also misses the opportunity to illustrate to students several critical aspects regarding correct application of the scientific method. The scientific method involves attempting to disprove hypotheses, not to prove them. A priori assumptions should be kept uppermost in mind and reconsidered at all stages. Multiple working hypotheses should be entertained. The predictions of a hypothesis should be tested, and unpredicted observations taken as weakening the original hypothesis. Hypotheses should not be endlessly adapted to fit unexpected observations. The difficulty with pedagogic treatment of the mantle plumes debate highlights a general uncertainty about how to teach issues in Earth science that are not yet resolved with certainty. It also represents a missed opportunity to let students experience how scientific theories evolve, warts

Ever improving global seismic models, together with expanding databases of mantle derived hotspot lavas, herald advances that relate the geochemistry of hotspots with low seismic shear-wave velocity conduits (plumes) in the mantle. Early efforts linked hotspot geochemistry with deep mantle large low velocity provinces (LLVPs) [1]. More recently, Konter and Becker (2012) [2] observed that the proportion of the C mantle component (inferred from Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes) in hotspot lavas shows an inverse relationship with seismic S-wave velocity anomalies in the shallow mantle (200 km) beneath each hotspot. They proposed that these correlations should also be made based on 3He/4He. Thus, we compare 3He/4He versus seismic S-wave velocity anomalies at 200 km depth. We find that plume-fed hotspots with the highest maximum 3He/4He (i.e., which host more of the C component) have higher hotspot buoyancy fluxes and overlie regions of lower seismic S-wave velocity (interpreted to relate to hotter mantle temperatures) at 200 km depth than hotspots that have only low 3He/4He [3]. This result complements recent work that shows an inverse relationship between maximum 3He/4He and seismic S-wave velocity anomalies in the mantle beneath the western USA [4]. The relationship between 3He/4He, shallow mantle seismic S-wave velocity anomalies, and buoyancy flux is most easily explained by a model where hotter plumes are more buoyant and entrain more of a deep, dense high 3He/4He reservoir than cooler plumes that underlie low 3He/4He hotspots. If the high 3He/4He domain is denser than other mantle components, it will be entrained only by the hottest, most buoyant plumes [3]. Such a deep, dense reservoir is ideally suited to preserving early-formed Hadean domains sampled in modern plume-fed hotspots. An important question is whether, like 3He/4He, seismic S-wave velocity anomalies in the mantle are associated with distinct heavy radiogenic isotopic compositions. C signatures are related to hot

This thesis presents mantle convection numerical simulations of supercontinent formation. Approximately 300 million years ago, through the large-scale subduction of oceanic sea floor, continental material amalgamated to form the supercontinent Pangea. For 100 million years after its formation, Pangea remained relatively stationary, and subduction of oceanic material featured on its margins. The present-day location of the continents is due to the rifting apart of Pangea, with supercontinent dispersal being characterized by increased volcanic activity linked to the generation of deep mantle plumes. The work presented here investigates the thermal evolution of mantle dynamics (e.g., mantle temperatures and sub-continental plumes) following the formation of a supercontinent. Specifically, continental insulation and continental margin subduction are analyzed. Continental material, as compared to oceanic material, inhibits heat flow from the mantle. Previous numerical simulations have shown that the formation of a stationary supercontinent would elevate sub-continental mantle temperatures due to the effect of continental insulation, leading to the break-up of the continent. By modelling a vigorously convecting mantle that features thermally and mechanically distinct continental and oceanic plates, this study shows the effect of continental insulation on the mantle to be minimal. However, the formation of a supercontinent results in sub-continental plume formation due to the re-positioning of subduction zones to the margins of the continent. Accordingly, it is demonstrated that continental insulation is not a significant factor in producing sub-supercontinent plumes but that subduction patterns control the location and timing of upwelling formation. A theme throughout the thesis is an inquiry into why geodynamic studies would produce different results. Mantle viscosity, Rayleigh number, continental size, continental insulation, and oceanic plate boundary evolution are

Purpose: The optimal combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT) and the role of consolidation chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are unknown. Topotecan is active against NSCLC, can safely be combined with RT at effective systemic doses, and can be given by continuous infusion, making it an attractive study agent against locally advanced NSCLC. Methods and Materials: In this pilot study, 20 patients were treated with infusion topotecan 0.4 mg/m 2 /d with three-dimensional conformal RT to 63 Gy both delivered Monday through Friday for 7 weeks. Patients without progression underwent consolidation chemotherapy with etoposide and a platinum agent for one cycle followed by two cycles of docetaxel. The study endpoints were treatment response, time to progression, survival, and toxicity. Results: Of the 20 patients, 19 completed induction chemoradiotherapy and 13 completed consolidation. Of the 20 patients, 18 had a partial response and 1 had stable disease after induction chemoradiotherapy. The 3-year overall survival rate was 32% (median, 18 months). The local and distant progression-free survival rate was 30% (median, 21 months) and 58% (median, not reached), respectively. Three patients developed central nervous system metastases, 1 within 228 days, 1 within 252 days, and 1 within 588 days. Three patients had pulmonary emboli. Therapy was well tolerated with 1 of 20 developing Grade 4 lymphopenia. Grade 3 hematologic toxicity was seen in 17 of 20 patients but was not clinically significant. Other Grade 3 toxicities included esophagitis in 3, esophageal stricture in 2, fatigue in 8, and weight loss in 1. Grade 3 pneumonitis occurred in 6 of 20 patients. Conclusion: Continuous infusion topotecan with RT was well tolerated and active in the treatment of poor-risk patients with unresectable Stage III NSCLC

. Asteroids, like planets, are driven by a great variety of both dynamical and physical mechanisms. In fact, images sent back by space missions show a collection of small worlds whose characteristics seem designed to overthrow our preconceived notions. Given their wide range of sizes and surface compositions, it is clear that many formed in very different places and at different times within the solar nebula. These characteristics make them an exciting challenge for researchers who crave complex problems. The return of samples from these bodies may ultimately be needed to provide us with solutions. In the book Asteroids IV, the editors and authors have taken major strides in the long journey toward a much deeper understanding of our fascinating planetary ancestors. This book reviews major advances in 43 chapters that have been written and reviewed by a team of more than 200 international authorities in asteroids. It is aimed to be as comprehensive as possible while also remaining accessible to students and researchers who are interested in learning about these small but nonetheless important worlds. We hope this volume will serve as a leading reference on the topic of asteroids for the decade to come. We are deeply indebted to the many authors and referees for their tremendous efforts in helping us create Asteroids IV. We also thank the members of the Asteroids IV scientific organizing committee for helping us shape the structure and content of the book. The conference associated with the book, "Asteroids Comets Meteors 2014" held June 30-July 4, 2014, in Helsinki, Finland, did an outstanding job of demonstrating how much progress we have made in the field over the last decade. We are extremely grateful to our host Karri Muinonnen and his team. The editors are also grateful to the Asteroids IV production staff, namely Renée Dotson and her colleagues at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, for their efforts, their invaluable assistance, and their enthusiasm; they made life as

blood values, together with exploratory laparotomy and treatment were examined in multivariate analyses. With regard to disease-free survival, the only factors of independent prognostic significance were sex and lymphocytopenia. With regard to overall survival the factors of independent significance...

The mantle plume hypothesis was proposed thirty years ago by Jason Morgan to explain hotspot volcanoes such as Hawaii. A thermal diapir (or plume) rises from the thermal boundary layer at the base of the mantle and produces a chain of volcanoes as a plate moves on top of it. The idea is very attractive, but direct evidence for actual plumes is weak, and many questions remain unanswered. With the great improvement of seismic imagery in the past ten years, new prospects have arisen. Mantle plumes are expected to be rather narrow, and their detection by seismic techniques requires specific developments as well as dedicated field experiments. Regional travel-time tomography has provided good evidence for plumes in the upper mantle beneath a few hotspots (Yellowstone, Massif Central, Iceland). Beneath Hawaii and Iceland, the plume can be detected in the transition zone because it deflects the seismic discontinuities at 410 and 660 km depths. In the lower mantle, plumes are very difficult to detect, so specific methods have been worked out for this purpose. There are hints of a plume beneath the weak Bowie hotspot, as well as intriguing observations for Hawaii. Beneath Iceland, high-resolution tomography has just revealed a wide and meandering plume-like structure extending from the core-mantle boundary up to the surface. Among the many phenomena that seem to take place in the lowermost mantle (or D''), there are also signs there of the presence of plumes. In this article I review the main results obtained so far from these studies and discuss their implications for plume dynamics. Seismic imaging of mantle plumes is still in its infancy but should soon become a turbulent teenager.

The broad, slow seismic anomalies under Africa and Pacific cannot be explained without ambiguity. There is no well-established theory to explain the fast structures prevalent globally in seismic tomographic images that are commonly accepted to be the remnants of fossil slabs at different depths in the mantle. The spin transition from high spin to low spin in iron in ferropericlase and perovskite, two major constituents of the lower mantle can significantly impact their physical properties. We employ high resolution 2D-axisymmetric and 3D-spherical control volume models to reconcile the influence of the spin transition-induced anomalies in density, thermal expansivity, and bulk modulus in ferropericlase and perovskite on mantle dynamics. The model results reveal that the spin transition effects increase the mixing in the lower regions of mantle. Depending on the changes of bulk modulus associated with the spin transition, these effects may also cause both stagnation of slabs and rising plumes at mid-mantle depths ( 1600 km). The stagnation may be followed by downward or upward penetration of cold or hot mantle material, respectively, through an avalanche process. The size of these mid-mantle plumes reaches 1500 km across with a radial velocity reaching 20 cm/yr near the seismic transition zone and plume heads exceeding 2500 km across. We will employ a deep-learning algorithm to formulate this challenge as a classification problem where modelling/computation aids in the learning stage for detecting the particular patterns.The parameters based on which the convection models are developed are poorly constrained. There are uncertainties in initial conditions, heterogeneities and boundary conditions in the simulations, which are nonlinear. Thus it is difficult to reconstruct the past configuration over long time scales. In order to extract information and better understand the parameters in mantle convection, we employ deep learning algorithm to search for different

The investigational oral DNA vaccine VXM01 targets the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) and uses Salmonella typhi Ty21a as a vector. The immune reaction elicited by VXM01 is expected to disrupt the tumor neovasculature and, consequently, inhibit tumor growth. VXM01 potentially combines the advantages of anti-angiogenic therapy and active immunotherapy. This phase I trial examines the safety, tolerability, and immunological and clinical responses to VXM01. The randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind dose-escalation study includes up to 45 patients with locally advanced and stageIV pancreatic cancer. The patients will receive four doses of VXM01 or placebo in addition to gemcitabine as standard of care. Doses from 10 6 cfu up to 10 10 cfu of VXM01 will be evaluated in the study. An independent data safety monitoring board (DSMB) will be involved in the dose-escalation decisions. In addition to safety as primary endpoint, the VXM01-specific immune reaction, as well as clinical response parameters will be evaluated. The results of this study shall provide the first data regarding the safety and immunogenicity of the oral anti-VEGFR-2 vaccine VXM01 in cancer patients. They will also define the recommended dose for phase II and provide the basis for further clinical evaluation, which may also include additional cancer indications. EudraCT No.: 2011-000222-29, NCT01486329, ISRCTN68809279

The chemistry of the earth's mantle is discussed using data from cosmochemistry, geochemistry, petrology, seismology, and mineral physics. The chondritic earth, the upper mantle and the 400-km discontinuity, the transition region, lower mantle mineralogy, and surface wave tomography are examined. Three main issues are addressed: (1) whether the mantle is homogeneous in composition or chemically stratified, (2) whether the major element chemistry of the mantle is more similar to upper mantle peridotites or to chondrites, and (3) the nature of the composition of the source region of basalts erupted at midocean ridges.

The aim of this paper was to present a case with the successful treatment of decubitis ulcer stageIV in the patient with polytrauma and vertical share pelvic fracture and diagnosed entherocollitis combined with deep wound infection with Clostridium difficile treated with combined Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) and faecal management system. Patient D.S.1967 treated on Traumatology Clinic after tentamen suicide on 9.2.2015 with diagnosis: brain contusion; contusion of thoracal space; vertical share pelvic fracture; open fracture type II of the right calcaneus; fracture of the left calcaneus; fracture on the typical place of the left radius; fracture of the right radius with dislocation. As a first step during the treatment in Intensive care unit we perform transcondylar extension of the left leg, and in that time we cannot operate because of the brain contusion. Four weeks after this treatment we intent to perform stabilisation of the pelvic ring, fixation of both arms, and fixation of both calcanear bones. But at the time before performing the saurgery, the patient got an intensive enterocollitis from Escherichia colli and Clostridium difficile , and during the inadequate treatment of enterocollitis she got a big decubitus on both gluteal regia Grade IV and deep muscular necrosis. Several times we perform a necrectomy of necrotic tissue but the wound become bigger and the infection have a progressive intention. In that time we used VAK system for 6 weeks combined with faecal management system and with local necrectomy and system application of Antibiotics and Flagyl for enterocollitis in doses prescripted from specialists from Infective clinic. This new device to manage faecal deep decubital infection and enterocollitis with Clostridium difficile are considered as adequate. 8Flexi-Seal ® FMS has been also used. After two months we succeed to minimize the gluteal wound on quoter from the situation from the beginning and we used for next two months wound

To evaluate the impact of Jinlongshe Granule (, JLSG) on quality of life (QOL) of stageIV gastric cancer patients. This randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial included 50 patients with advanced gastric cancer. They were equally randomized into a JLSG group and a placebo group. Patients in both groups received routine Chinese herbal decoctions according to Chinese medicine (CM) treatment based on syndrome differentiation. Patients in JLSG group received additional JLSG, and those in the placebo group received an additional placebo. In the JLSG group, 19 patients who completed the study were used for analysis. In the placebo group, finally the data of 20 patients who completed the study were used for analysis. The treatment course was at least 3 months, and the follow-up duration was at least 6 months in 5 interviews. Repeated measurements of the subscale items and individual items in European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) obtained at the 5 interviews were compared using different patient groups, changes over time and changes within one group over time independently to observe the tendency of changes in the scores. Using time as the variant, there was signifificant difference in 4 functional scales (physical, role, emotional and social, P0.05), insomnia (P0.05) and financial difficulties (Pplacebo group and group over time were used as variants (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Additional use of JLSG on the basis of routine CM treatment could improve the somatic function, role function, emotional function, social function, cognitive function and general QOL of patients with advanced gastric cancer, and relieve the symptoms of fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, loss of appetite and constipation.

, F and DFeBg/melt. In the lower mantle, density inversions (i.e. sinking melts) appear to be restricted to low F values and highest mantle pressures. The coherent melting model has direct geophysical implications: (i) in the early Earth, the magma ocean crystallization could not occur for a core temperature higher than ∼5400 K at the core-mantle boundary (CMB). This temperature corresponds to the melting of pure Bg at 135 GPa. For a mantle composition more realistic than pure Bg, the right CMB temperature for magma ocean crystallization could have been as low as ∼4400 K. (ii) There are converging arguments for the formation of a relatively homogeneous mantle after magma ocean crystallization. In particular, we predict the bulk crystallization of a relatively large mantle fraction, when the temperature becomes lower than the pseudo-eutectic temperature. Some chemical segregation could still be possible as a result of some Bg segregation in the lowermost mantle during the first stage of the magma ocean crystallization, and due to a much later descent of very low F, Fe-enriched, melts toward the CMB. (iii) The descent of such melts could still take place today. There formation should to be related to incipient mantle melting due to the presence of volatile elements. Even though, these melts can only be denser than the mantle (at high mantle depths) if the controversial value of DFeBg/melt is indeed as low as suggested by some experimental studies. This type of melts could contribute to produce ultra-low seismic velocity anomalies in the lowermost mantle.

Small solar domestic hot water systems are best designed as low flow systems based on vertical mantle tanks. Theoretical investigations of the heat transfer in differently designed vertical mantle tanks during different operation conditions have been carried out. The investigations are based...... on calculations with a CFD-model, which has earlier been validated by means of experiments. The CFD-model is used to determine the heat transfer between the solar collector fluid in the mantle and the walls surrounding the mantle in all levels of the mantle as well as the heat transfer between the wall...... of the inner hot water tank and the domestic water in all levels of the tank. The heat transfer analysis showed that the heat transfer near the mantle inlet port between the solar collector fluid in the mantle and the walls surrounding the mantle is in the mixed convection regime, and as the distance from...

The decay of short-lived iodine (I) and plutonium (Pu) results in xenon (Xe) isotopic anomalies in the mantle that record Earth’s earliest stages of formation. Xe isotopic anomalies have been linked to degassing during accretion, but degassing alone cannot account for the co-occurrence of Xe and tungsten (W) isotopic heterogeneity in plume-derived basalts and their long-term preservation in the mantle. Here we describe measurements of I partitioning between liquid Fe alloys and liquid silicates at high pressure and temperature and propose that Xe isotopic anomalies found in modern plume rocks (that is, rocks with elevated 3He/4He ratios) result from I/Pu fractionations during early, high-pressure episodes of core formation. Our measurements demonstrate that I becomes progressively more siderophile as pressure increases, so that portions of mantle that experienced high-pressure core formation will have large I/Pu depletions not related to volatility. These portions of mantle could be the source of Xe and W anomalies observed in modern plume-derived basalts. Portions of mantle involved in early high-pressure core formation would also be rich in FeO, and hence denser than ambient mantle. This would aid the long-term preservation of these mantle portions, and potentially points to their modern manifestation within seismically slow, deep mantle reservoirs with high 3He/4He ratios.

... the southwest Indian ridge appears to be tapping the same portion of mantle as did the Central Indian ridge. These results have important thermo-chemical implications, such as variations in the extent of melting and mineralogicalcomposition of the mantle beneath diﬂerent ridges, which may inﬂuence mantle dynamics.

In the Borborema Province (Northeastern Brazil), the Brasiliano/Pan-African Cycle is expressed by two prominent and penecontemporaneous features: a regional network of transcurrent shear zones and associated large granitoid magmatism. The Rio Grande do Norte Domain (RGND) is an orogenic domain located in the northeastern part of the Borborema Province, and its tectonic evolution is largely related to the Brasiliano orogeny (ca. 600 Ma). This domain includes four major tectonic terranes, which are represented by two metavolcanosedimentary sequences Jaguaribe-Oeste Potiguar and Serido belts, and its gneiss-migmatite Paleoproterozoic basement the Rio Piranhas and Sao Jose de Campestre massifs (Brito Neves et al., 2000). The rocks have been metamorphosed up to the amphibolite facies. Its deformational fabrics are dominated by extensive Brasiliano ductile shear zones displaying predominantly dextral transcurrent kinematic regime. These structures control the emplacement of several Neoproterozoic granitoid intrusions which are made up mainly by porphyritic granitoid suites with subalkaline monzonitic affinity. These occur as isolated plutons of various sizes or as composite intrusions, associated with basic-tointermediate suites. In the latter case, magma mingling and mixing attest that these are contemporaneous igneous suites. Several features suggest coeval relationships with granitic magmas, possibly implying processes such as assimilation or magma mixing. Field evidence of magma mixing include (i) extensive capture of feldspar phenocrysts of the acid mushes by the basic magmas, (ii) common presence of globular to ellipsoidal basic enclaves in the granitic suites, (iii) stockwork-type features consisting of felsic material veining through a diorite host and (iv) syn-plutonic basic dykes intruded into the porphyritic granites (Jardim de S 1994). In this work, Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic compositions from six distinct basic-to-intermediate suites were investigated to

The combination of necitumumab with gemcitabine-cisplatin significantly improved overall survival (OS) in patients with stageIV squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in the phase III SQUamous NSCLC treatment with the Inhibitor of EGF REceptor (SQUIRE) trial. Paclitaxel-carboplatin was selected as an alternative standard of care in the current phase II study. Patients were randomized (stratified according to Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status and sex) 2:1 to ≤ six 3-week cycles (Q3W) of paclitaxel and carboplatin with or without necitumumab. Chemotherapy was paclitaxel 200 mg/m 2 on day 1 Q3W and carboplatin area under the curve 6 on day 1 Q3W. Necitumumab 800 mg, on days 1 and 8, was continued until disease progression or intolerable toxicity occurred. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) on the basis of Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors version 1.1. One hundred sixty-seven patients were randomized to the necitumumab-containing arm (n = 110) or the chemotherapy-only arm (n = 57). The combination of necitumumab with chemotherapy resulted in an ORR of 48.9% versus 40.0%. Median progression-free survival and OS were 5.4 versus 5.6 months (hazard ratio [HR], 1.0) and 13.2 versus 11.2 months (HR, 0.83; P = .379) in each treatment arm, respectively. Disease control rate was 87.2% versus 84.0%. Grade ≥ 3 adverse events typically associated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibodies showing a > 2% increase were hypomagnesemia (5.7% vs. 0) and rash (2.8% vs. 0). Any Grade thromboembolic events occurred in

Nitroglycerin (NTG) is a vasodilating drug, which increases tumor blood flow and consequently decreases hypoxia. Therefore, changes in [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ([18F]FDG PET) uptake pattern may occur. In this analysis, we investigated the feasibility of [18F]FDG PET for response assessment to paclitaxel-carboplatin-bevacizumab (PCB) treatment with and without NTG patches. And we compared the [18F]FDG PET response assessment to RECIST response assessment and survival. A total of 223 stageIV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients were included in a phase II study (NCT01171170) randomizing between PCB treatment with or without NTG patches. For 60 participating patients, a baseline and a second [18F]FDG PET/computed tomography (CT) scan, performed between day 22 and 24 after the start of treatment, were available. Tumor response was defined as a 30 % decrease in CT and PET parameters, and was compared to RECIST response at week 6. The predictive value of these assessments for progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was assessed with and without NTG. A 30 % decrease in SUVpeak assessment identified more patients as responders compared to a 30 % decrease in CT diameter assessment (73 % vs. 18 %), however, this was not correlated to OS (SUVpeak30 p = 0.833; CTdiameter30 p = 0.557). Changes in PET parameters between the baseline and the second scan were not significantly different for the NTG group compared to the control group (p value range 0.159-0.634). The CT-based (part of the [18F]FDG PET/CT) parameters showed a significant difference between the baseline and the second scan for the NTG group compared to the control group (CT diameter decrease of 7 ± 23 % vs. 19 ± 14 %, p = 0.016, respectively). The decrease in tumoral FDG uptake in advanced NSCLC patients treated with chemotherapy with and without NTG did not differ between both treatment arms. Early PET-based response assessment showed more tumor responders

SiO2 may have been expelled from the core following its formation in the early stages of Earth's accretion and onwards through the present day. On account of SiO2's low density with respect to both the core and the lowermost mantle, we examine the process of SiO2 accumulation at the core-mantle boundary (CMB) and its incorporation into the mantle by buoyant rise. Today, the if SiO2 is 100-10000 times more viscous than lower mantle material, the dimensions of SiO2 diapirs formed by the viscous Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the CMB would cause them to be swept into the mantle as inclusions of 100 m - 10 km diameter. Under early Earth conditions of rapid heat loss after core formation, SiO2 diapirs of 5-80 km diameter could have risen independently of mantle flow to their level of neutral buoyancy in the mantle, trapping them there due to a combination of high viscosity and neutral buoyancy. We examine the SiO2 yield by assuming Si+O saturation at the conditions found at the base of a magma ocean and find that for a range of conditions, dispersed bodies could reach as high as 2 volume percent in shallow parts of the lower mantle, with their abundance decreasing with depth. At such low concentrations, their effect on aggregate seismic wavespeeds would be within the uncertainty of the radial Earth model PREM. However, their presence would be revealed by small-scale scattering in the lower mantle due to the bodies' large velocity contrast. We conclude that the shallow lower mantle (700-1500 km depth) could harbor SiO2 released in early Earth times.

Small solar domestic hot water systems are best designed as low flow systems based on vertical mantle tanks. Theoretical investigations of the heat transfer in differently designed vertical mantle tanks during different operation conditions have been carried out. The investigations are based...... transfer correlations are suitable as input for a detailed simulation model for mantle tanks. The heat transfer correlations determined in this study are somewhat different from previous reported heat transfer correlations. The reason is that this study includes more mantle tank designs and operation...... of the inner hot water tank and the domestic water in all levels of the tank. The heat transfer analysis showed that the heat transfer near the mantle inlet port between the solar collector fluid in the mantle and the walls surrounding the mantle is in the mixed convection regime, and as the distance from...

In magma-poor rifted margins, the rift structures, width of necking zones and overall geometry are controlled by the heterogeneities of geochemical and geophysical properties of the crust and mantle. In this presentation we focus on the mantle heterogeneities and their major implications on the closure of a hyper-extended rifted system. In our study, we review the clinopyroxene and spinel major element composition from the Liguria-Piemonte domain, the Pyrenean domain, the Dinarides and Hellenides ophiolites and the Iberia-Newfoundland rifted margins (Picazo et al, 2016). It would seem that during an extensional cycle i.e., from post-orogenic collapse to polyphase rifting to seafloor spreading, the mineral compositions of mantle peridotites are systematically modified. The initially heterogeneous subcontinental mantle cpx (inherited mantle type 1) equilibrated in the spinel peridotite field and is too enriched in Na2O and Al2O3 to be a residue of syn-rift melting. The heterogeneous inherited subcontinental mantle becomes progressively homogenized due to impregnation by MORB-type melts (refertilized mantle-type 2) during extensional thinning of the lithosphere. At this stage, cpx equilibrate with plagioclase and display lower Na2O and Al2O3 and high Cr2O3 contents. The system might evolve into breakup and oceanization (mantle type 3) i.e., self-sustained steady-state seafloor spreading. The different mantle-types are present in various reconstructed sections of magma-poor margins and display a systematic spatial distribution from mantle type 1 to 3 going oceanwards in Western and Central Europe. We estimated the density of the three identified mantle types using idealized modal peridotite compositions using the algorithm by Hacker et al, (2003). The density of the refertilized plagioclase peridotite is predicted to be lower than that of inherited subcontinental and depleted oceanic mantle. This has some interesting consequences on the reactivation of rifted margins

Differentiation at mid-ocean ridges generates a layered lithosphere consisting of a basaltic crust, immediately underlain by harzburgite and further underlain by pyrolite which has experienced depletion only of highly incompatible elements. The body forces driving subduction are concentrated mainly in the upper half of the lithosphere which is relatively cool and brittle. During subduction, the lower layer of relatively ductile, slightly depleted pyrolite is stripped off and resorbed into the upper mantle, thereby providing a future source region for MORB magmas. The slab which sinks to ~ 600 km is comprised mainly of differentiated former basalt and harzburgite which undergo a different series of phase transformations to those experienced by mantle pyrolite. In consequence, the former basaltic crust remains denser than surrounding mantle whereas former harzburgite becomes relatively buoyant below the 650 km seismic discontinuity. The resulting non-uniformity in stress distribution causes the slab to buckle at this depth and accrete to form a large, relatively cool ovoid "megalith" of mixed former harzburgite and basaltic crust. Heating of the megalith occurs over 1-2 b.y., leading to partial melting of the former basaltic crust. The resultant liquids contaminate regions of former harzburgite, rendering them fertile in the sense of future capacity to produce basaltic magmas. After thermal equilibration, the newly fertile, former harzburgite becomes buoyant, leading to the separation of diapirs which rise into the upper mantle. Such diapirs rising beneath sub-oceanic lithosphere experience small degrees of partial melting to produce ocean island basalts, mainly of the alkaline suite. Diapirs of fertile former harzburgite rising beneath continents become incorporated into the sub-continental lithosphere. This is a cumulative process and is ultimately responsible for the development of the chemical, physical and isotopic characteristics of the sub

Partial melting of the Earth's deep mantle probably occurred at different stages of its formation as a consequence of meteoritic impacts and seismology suggests that it even continues today at the core-mantle boundary. Melts are important because they dominate the chemical evolution of the different Earth's reservoirs and more generally the dynamics of the whole planet. Unfortunately, the most critical parameter, that is the temperature profile inside the deep Earth, remains poorly constrained accross the planet history. Experimental investigations of the melting properties of materials representative of the deep Earth at relevant P-T conditions can provide anchor points to refine past and present temperature profiles and consequently determine the degree of melting at the different geological periods. Previous works report melting relations in the uppermost lower mantle region, using the multi-anvil press [1,2]. On the other hand, the pyrolite solidus was determined up to 65 GPa using optical observations in the laser-heated diamond anvil cell (LH-DAC) [3]. Finally, the melting temperature of (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 olivine is documented at core-mantle boundary (CMB) conditions by shock wave experiments [4]. Solely based on these reports, experimental data remain too sparse to draw a definite melting curve for the lower mantle in the relevant 25-135 GPa pressure range. We reinvestigated melting properties of lower mantle materials by means of in-situ angle dispersive X-ray diffraction measurements in the LH-DAC at the ESRF [5]. Experiments were performed in an extended P-T range for two starting materials: forsterite and a glass with chondrite composition. In both cases, the aim was to determine the onset of melting, and thus the eutectic melting temperatures as a function of pressure. Melting was evidenced from drastic changes of diffraction peak shape on the image plate, major changes in diffraction intensities in the integrated pattern, disappearance of diffraction rings

How much of the chemical heterogeneity present in mantle today dates to processes that occurred during Earth's planetary formation stage remains an unanswered question. Geochemical observations obtained from short-lived radiogenic isotope systems, however, provide important insights. Tungsten isotope data for flood basalt lavas from two large igneous provinces, the North Atlantic Igneous Province ( 60 Ma) and the Ontong Java Plateau ( 120 Ma), show well resolved 182W excesses, compared with terrestrial standards that are presumed to be representative of the present bulk mantle. These W isotope results, thus, indicate that one or more mantle domains formed very early in Earth history and have been preserved well into the Phanerozoic eon. The flood basalts from Baffin Bay contain among the highest 3He/4He ratios ever measured, as well as Pb and 143Nd isotopic compositions, and D/H ratios consistent with a chemically primitive, un-degassed mantle source. Ontong Java is the Earth's largest known volcanic province and shares chemical and isotopic similarities with the Baffin Bay lavas, indicative of a similarly primitive mantle source. The 182W-enriched nature of the mantle sources of rocks from both locations indicates that their primitive characteristics were likely isolated in a deep mantle reservoir within the first 50 Ma of Solar System history. The correlation between large low seismic shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs) and the distribution of reconstructed eruption sites of these large igneous provinces makes the LLSVPs possible candidate domains for the required primitive and un-degassed reservoirs.

Full Text Available The mechanical coupling between a subducting slab and the overlying mantle wedge is an important factor in controlling the subduction dip angle and the flow in mantel wedge. This paper investigates the role of the amount of mantle serpentinization on the subduction zone evolution. With numerical thermos-mechanical models with elasto-visco-plastic rheology, we vary the thickness and depth extent of mantle serpentinization in the mantle wedge to control the degree of coupling between the slab and mantle wedge. A thin serpentinized mantle layer is required for stable subduction. For models with stable subduction, we find that the slab dip is affected by the down-dip extent and the mantle serpentinization thickness. A critical down-dip extent exists in mantle serpentinization, determined by the thickness of the overriding lithosphere. If the down-dip extent does not exceed the critical depth, the slab is partially coupled to the overriding lithosphere and has a constant dip angle regardless of the mantle serpentinization thickness. However, if the down-dip extent exceeds the critical depth, the slab and the base of the overriding lithosphere would be separated and decoupled by a thick layer of serpentinized peridotite. This allows further slab bending and results in steeper slab dip. Increasing mantle serpentinization thickness will also result in larger slab dip. We also find that with weak mantle wedge, there is no material flowing from the asthenosphere into the serpentinized mantle wedge. All of these results indicate that serpentinization is an important ingredient when studying the subduction dynamics in the mantle wedge.

... Other IV treatments you may receive after you leave the hospital include: Treatment for hormone deficiencies Medicines for severe nausea that cancer chemotherapy or pregnancy may cause Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) for pain (this is IV ...

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the standard treatment for advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In this phase II randomized study, the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil induction chemotherapy (ICT) followed by concurrent CRT was compared with those after standard CRT alone in patients with locally advanced, unresectable head and neck cancer. Between January 2007 and June 2009, 66 patients with advanced (stage III or IV) unresectable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx) were randomly assigned to two groups: one receiving two cycles of docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil ICT followed by CRT with three cycles of cisplatin and one treated by CRT alone. Response rate, local tumor control (LTC), locoregional tumor control (LRTC), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and toxicity results were assessed. Three patients from the ICT + CRT group did not appear at the first treatment, so a total of 63 patients were evaluated in the study (30 ICT + CRT group and 33 CRT group). Three patients died of febrile neutropenia after ICT. The median follow-up time for surviving patients was 63 months (range 53-82 months). The rate of radiologic complete response was 63 % following ICT + CRT, whereas 70 % after CRT alone. There were no significant differences in the 3-year rates of LTC (56 vs. 57 %), LRTC (42 vs. 50 %), OS (43 vs. 55 %), and PFS (41 vs. 50 %) in the ICT + CRT group and in the CRT group, respectively. The rate of grade 3-4 neutropenia was significantly higher in the ICT + CRT group than in the CRT group (37 and 12 %; p = 0.024). Late toxicity (grade 2 or 3 xerostomia) developed in 59 and 42 % in the ICT + CRT and CRT groups, respectively. The addition of ICT to CRT did not show any advantage in our phase II trial, while the incidence of adverse events increased. The three deaths as a consequence of ICT call attention to the importance of

The Afar Depression, Ethiopia, offers unique opportunities to study the transition from continental rifting to oceanic spreading because the process is occurring onland. Using traveltime tomography and data from a temporary seismic deployment, we describe the first regional study of uppermost mantle P-wave velocities (VPn). We find two separate low VPn zones (as low as 7.2 km s-1) beneath regions of localized thinned crust in northern Afar, indicating the existence of high temperatures and, potentially, partial melt. The zones are beneath and off-axis from, contemporary crustal magma intrusions in active magmatic segments, the Dabbahu-Manda-Hararo and Erta'Ale segments. This suggests that these intrusions can be fed by off-axis delivery of melt in the uppermost mantle and that discrete areas of mantle upwelling and partial melting, thought to characterize segmentation of the uppermost mantle at seafloor spreading centres, are initiated during the final stages of break-up.

are carried out to investigate how the thermal stratification is affected by different placements of the mantle inlet. The heat transfer between the solar collector fluid in the mantle and the domestic water in the inner tank is analysed by CFD-simulations. Furthermore, the flow pattern in the vertical mantle......It is well known that it is important to have a high degree of thermal stratification in the hot water storage tank to achieve a high thermal performance of SDHW systems. This study is concentrated on thermal stratification in vertical mantle tanks. Experiments based on typical operation conditions...

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Platinum-based doublet chemotherapy is considered the standard of care for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC. However, prognosis after recurrent or progressive disease following first-line chemotherapy is usually poor. Maintenance chemotherapy, second line treatment and even third line chemotherapy are available for patients with advanced NSCLC. Unfortunately, few patients are candidates for chemotherapy beyond first line. The present study evaluated characteristics of patients with NSCLC and outcomes of the treatment of their metastatic disease, with emphasis on second and third-line chemotherapy. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study of 2,673 patients with metastatic, stageIV, non-small cell lung cancer admitted for treatment in two São Paulo institutions. First-line chemotherapy was defined as the first chemotherapeutic approach administered to the patient. Second and third-line chemotherapy were defined as the systemic treatment administered after discontinuing first-line chemotherapy, either for intolerance or for progressive or recurrent disease. RESULTS: Most patients (57.9% received first-line chemotherapy, and approximately 23.4% received second-line and 8% third-line regimens. Only 2.5% received fourth-line chemotherapy. Median overall survival (OS was 8 months (95% CI: 8-9 months. At univariate analyses, gender (p OBJETIVO: A quimioterapia dupla com base em platina consiste no tratamento padrão para o câncer de pulmão não pequenas células (CPNPC avançado. Contudo, o prognóstico dos pacientes com doença recorrente ou em progressão após a quimioterapia de primeira linha é ruim. Quimioterapia de manutenção, de segunda linha e até de terceira linha são tratamentos válidos para pacientes com CPNPC de estádio avançado. Infelizmente, poucos pacientes são candidatos para o tratamento quimioterápico além daquele de primeira linha. O presente estudo avalia as características de

In the case of the solar chromosphere and corona (the solar mantle) the primary energy source is the mechanical energy from photospheric motions. Plenty of energy is available; the problem is to transfer the needed amount of energy to the proper place to account for the observations. The global problem is reviewed from the point of view of the generation and transmission of energy, the intermediate storage of energy, and the release of energy in such a way that the observed features are generated.

Earth's mantle connects the surface with the deep interior through convection, and the evolution of its redox state will affect the distribution of siderophile elements, recycling of refractory isotopes, and the oxidation state of the atmosphere through volcanic outgassing. While the rise of oxygen in the atmosphere, i.e., the Great Oxidation Event (GOE) occurred 2.4 billion years ago (Ga), multiple lines of evidence point to oxygen production in the atmosphere well before 2.4 Ga. In contrast to the fluctuations of atmospheric oxygen, vanadium in Archean mantle lithosphere suggests that the mantle redox state has been constant for 3.5 Ga. Indeed, the connection between the redox state of the deep Earth and the atmosphere is enigmatic as is the effect of redox state on mantle dynamics. Here we show a redox-induced density contrast affects mantle convection and may potentially cause the oxidation of the upper mantle. We compressed two synthetic enstatite chondritic samples with identical bulk compositions but formed under different oxygen fugacities (fO2) to lower mantle pressures and temperatures and find Al2O3 forms its own phase separate from the dominant bridgmanite phase in the more reduced composition, in contrast to a more Al-rich, bridgmanite-dominated assemblage for a more oxidized starting composition. As a result, the reduced material is 1-1.5% denser than the oxidized material. Subsequent experiments on other plausible mantle compositions, which differ only in redox state of the starting glass materials, show similar results: distinct mineral assemblages and density contrasts up to 4%. Our geodynamic simulations suggest that such a density contrast causes a rapid ascent and accumulation of oxidized material in the upper mantle, with descent of the denser reduced material to the core-mantle boundary. The resulting heterogeneous redox conditions in Earth's interior may have contributed to the large low-shear velocity provinces in the lower mantle and the

Thyroid dysfunction can develop in patients with Hodgkin's disease who are treated with mantle irradiation. During the period 1970-89, the records of 320 patients who received mantle irradiation and who had thyroid function tests (TFT) were retrospectively reviewed. The median age was 30 years (range, 7-69 years). The median mantle and thyroid dose was 36 Gy (range, 30-40 Gy) and 39.8 Gy (range, 32-65 Gy), respectively. Overall thyroid dysfunction was present in 39% of the patients. Clinical hypothyroidism was seen in 10% and biochemical hypothyroidism was noted in 25%. Hyperthyroidism was found in 4% of patients. Thyroid nodules had developed in six patients (2%), of which those in four patients were malignant. Age, sex, histological subtype, stage of disease, dose, Iymphangiogram and treatment with chemotherapy were not significant factors in the development of thyroid dysfunction. The narrow dose range prevented adequate analysis of dose effect. The results indicate that the incidence of thyroid abnormalities is high enough to warrant regular TFT assessment with pre-irradiation levels and follow-up testing for life because the development of abnormalities can occur many years later. Thyroid examination should form part of the routine follow-up examination and any abnormality should be promptly investigated. Copyright (1998) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd

Observations from geochemistry and seismology continue to suggest a range of complex heterogeneity in Earth's mantle. In the deep mantle, two large low velocity provinces (LLVPs) have been regularly observed in seismic studies, with their longevity, composition and density compared to the surrounding mantle debated. The cause of these observed LLVPs is equally uncertain, with previous studies advocating either thermal or thermo-chemical causes. There is also evidence that these structures could provide chemically distinct reservoirs within the mantle, with recent studies also suggesting there may be additional reservoirs in the mantle, such as bridgmanite-enriched ancient mantle structures (BEAMS). One way to test these hypotheses is using computational models of the mantle, with models that capture the full 3D system being both complex and computationally expensive. Here we present results from our global mantle model TERRA. Using our model, we can track compositional variations in the convecting mantle that are generated by self-consistent, evolving melting zones. Alongside the melting, we track trace elements and other volatiles which can be partitioned during melting events, and expelled and recycled at the surface. Utilising plate reconstruction models as a boundary condition, the models generate the tectonic features observed at Earth's surface, while also organising the lower mantle into recognisable degree-two structures. This results in our models generating basaltic `oceanic' crusts which are then brought into the mantle at tectonic boundaries, providing additional chemical heterogeneity in the mantle volume. Finally, by utilising thermodynamic lookup tables to convert the final outputs from the model to seismic structures, together with resolution filters for global tomography models, we are able to make direct comparisons between our results and observations. By varying the parameters of the model, we investigate a range of current hypotheses for

Somaclonal variation arises in plants and animals when differentiated somatic cells are induced into a pluripotent state, but the resulting clones differ from each other and from their parents. In agriculture, somaclonal variation has hindered micropropagation of elite hybrids and genetically modified crops, but the mechanism remains a mystery1. The oil palm fruit abnormality, mantled, is a somaclonal variant arising from tissue culture that drastically reduces yield, and has largely halted efforts to clone elite hybrids for oil production2–4. Widely regarded as epigenetic5, mantling has defied explanation, but here we identify the MANTLED gene using Epigenome Wide Association Studies. DNA hypomethylation of a LINE retrotransposon related to rice Karma, in the intron of the homeotic gene DEFICIENS, is common to all mantled clones and is associated with alternative splicing and premature termination. Dense methylation near the Karma splice site (the Good Karma epiallele) predicts normal fruit set, while hypomethylation (the Bad Karma epiallele) predicts homeotic transformation, parthenocarpy and dramatic loss of yield. Loss of Karma methylation and small RNA in tissue culture contributes to the origin of mantled, while restoration in spontaneous revertants accounts for non-Mendelian inheritance. The ability to predict and cull mantling at the plantlet stage will facilitate the introduction of higher performing clones and optimize environmentally sensitive land resources. PMID:26352475

Conductive cooling due to ultraslow spreading has been suggested to limit partial melting of the mantle and crustal production at Gakkel Ridge. In addition, the thick lithosphere induced by cooling should significantly control melt migration and extraction. To explore these effects at ultraslow spreading rates, major and trace element concentrations in pyroxene minerals are presented for 14 dredged Gakkel abyssal peridotites. Samples from the same dredge and among dredges reveal wide compositional variation. Trace element compositions of lherzolites reflect 4-6% non-modal fractional mantle melting. However, these high degrees of melting without a corresponding amount of oceanic crust suggest the occurrence of infertile mantle due to ancient melting event(s). In addition, high degrees of melt depletion at short length-scales (<60 km) cannot be thermally driven and must instead reflect inherited small length-scale variability. Harzburgite samples exhibit low concentrations in heavy rare earth elements that can be fit by 6 to ≥13% non-modal melting, but this results in modeled light rare earth element contents that are too low relative to observed concentrations. Instead, harzburgite trace element patterns require open-system melting involving interaction with a percolating melt. Extreme enrichments in highly incompatible elements also suggest the occurrence of late-stage refertilization and melt entrapment. Modeling of several different source melt compositions indicates that the trapped melt was generated from garnet field-equilibrated peridotite. Overall, the compositional variability in Gakkel peridotite samples reflects a heterogeneous mantle resulting from inherited depletion and recent melt percolation and entrapment.

The canonical view of He isotope geochemistry holds that high 3He/4He ratios in basalts fingerprints undegassed mantle sources. Hawaiian basalts with unradiogenic He with 3He/4He up to 30 RA are therefore seen as originating from parts of the mantle that is still primordial, at least much more so than MORB mantle (3He/4He ~ 8 RA). This view was strongly reinforced by the discovery of solar and even planetary Ne components in oceanic basalts and gas wells. The canonical view, however, conflicts with multiple observations on ocean islands, notably Hawaiian basalts: the correlation of {187}Os/{186}Os with δ 18O combined with the presence of unusually radiogenic Hf isotope compositions for a given Nd isotope composition and the correlation between Hf and Pb isotopes are all features strongly reminiscent of ancient subducted oceanic crust and pelagic sediments in the source of the Hawaiian plume. These conflicting observations beg the question of how Hawaiian basalts, which carry the embodiment of a primordial gas signature, at the same time can provide such strong evidence of surface material recycling. I here suggest and alternative model that uses the marble cake paradigm and Shuster et al.'s data on olivine. A solution to this conundrum lies in an analogy with oil genesis: 3He and Ne do not reside in the low-melting point peridotites in which they were originally hosted but rather migrated since early in Earth history into refractory 'reservoir' rocks. Since there can be no free gas phase percolating at pressures in excess of olivine carbonation at ~3 GPa, He must be largely redistributed by diffusion. The time scale of diffusion is the defining parameter: although over billions of years 3He diffuses across large distances, melting events are too short to efficiently strip residual refractory rocks from their high-3He/4He component. Assuming that melts begin forming over the uppermost 100 km with an upwelling rate of 10 m y-1 in plume conduits and 10 cm y-1 under

Full Text Available Stark broadening parameters, line width and shift, are needed for investigations, analysis and modelling of astrophysical, laboratory, laser produced and technological plasmas. Especially in astrophysics, due to constantly increasing resolution of satellite borne spectrographs, and large terrestrial telescopes, data on trace elements, which were previously insignificant, now have increasing importance. Using the modified semiempirical method of Dimitrijević and Konjević, here, Stark widths have been calculated for 2 Se IV, 6 Sn IV, 2 Sb IV and 1 Te IV transitions. Results have been compared with existing theoretical data for Sn IV. Obtained results will be implemented in the STARK-B database, which is also a part of Virtual atomic and molecular data center (VAMDC.

The Generation IV International Forum (GIF) Risk and Safety Working Group (RSWG) was created to develop an effective approach for the safety of Generation IV advanced nuclear energy systems. Recent RSWG work has focused on the definition of an integrated safety assessment methodology (ISAM) for evaluating the safety of Generation IV systems. ISAM is an integrated 'tool-kit' consisting of 5 analytical techniques that are available and matched to appropriate stages of Generation IV system concept development: 1) qualitative safety features review - QSR, 2) phenomena identification and ranking table - PIRT, 3) objective provision tree - OPT, 4) deterministic and phenomenological analyses - DPA, and 5) probabilistic safety analysis - PSA. The integrated methodology is intended to yield safety-related insights that help actively drive the evolving design throughout the technology development cycle, potentially resulting in enhanced safety, reduced costs, and shortened development time

We report results of a study to evaluate the efficacy of various impurities for heat dispersal by a radiative mantle and radiative divertor(including SOL). We have derived a stability criterion for the mantle radiation which favors low Z impurities and low ratios of edge to core thermal conductivities. Since on the other hand the relative strength of boundary line radiation to core bremsstrahlung favors high Z impurities, we find that for the ITER physics phase argon is the best gaseous impurity for mantle radiation. For the engineering phase of ITER, more detailed analysis is needed to select between krypton and argon

Background Protein-energy wasting is common in patients with end-stage kidney disease. However, few studies have examined the relationship between early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and sarcopenia. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study based on data in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008–2011. In total, 11,625 subjects aged 40 years or older who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were analyzed. Sarcopenia was defined based on values of appendicular skeletal muscle mass as a percentage of body weight (ASM/Wt) two standard deviations below the gender-specific mean for young adults. Estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) were calculated using the CKD-EPI equation. Results Mean age, body mass index (BMI), and HOMA-IR were higher and caloric intake, physical activity, and vitamin D level were lower in the sarcopenia groups in both men and women. As the stage of CKD increased, the prevalence of sarcopenia increased, even in the early stages of CKD (normal and CKD1, 2, and 3-5: 2.6%, 5.6%, and 18.1% in men and 5.3%, 7.1%, and 12.6% in women, respectively; p sarcopenia with respect to CKD 3–5 was 1.93 (95% CI = 1.02–3.68) in men but was not statistically significant in women. Conclusions The prevalence of sarcopenia was higher in elderly Korean patients with even mildly reduced kidney function. Stage of CKD was associated with an increased prevalence of sarcopenia in men but not women. Thus, we should evaluate the risk of sarcopenia and work to prevent it, even in patients with early CKD. PMID:26083479

Studies of magma oceans indicate that planets obtain a gravitationally stable, compositionally differentiated mantle following solidification. This stable mantle results primarily from iron-magnesium partitioning during solidification, producing progressively iron-enriched mantle phases as solidification proceeds. Near the end of solidification, the dense solids will overturn to a stable configuration. The resulting differentiated mantle is stable from compositional density gradients that are significant enough to suppress thermal convection for up to hundreds of millions of years or longer, a scenario that proceeds self-consistently from physical and chemical principals, but is in contradiction with a previous image of a hot, turbulently convecting earliest terrestrial mantle. The isotopic range found in Martian meteorites indicates that its mantle differentiated in the first tens of millions of years of the solar system and has not been thoroughly remixed since. The specific isotopic range found on Mars is consistent with formation in a magma ocean. Based on the isotopic compositions of magmas, the Earth’s mantle is well mixed in comparison with the mantle of Mars. If the terrestrial planets experienced partial or whole magma oceans and thus began with stable mantles, resisting the onset of thermal convection and subsequent remixing, then why is Earth’s mantle well mixed? Two processes predicted to occur on the Earth, but not on the smaller Mars, may explain the divergent evolutions of these bodies. Here we will present model calculations for these two processes. First, we hypothesize that in the brief period that the Moon was very close to the Earth, it may have tidally heated Earth’s interior sufficiently to overcome its initial compositionally stable mantle, initiate active convection, and set the stage for the well-mixed mantle sampled today. Mars, conversely, may have cooled significantly before thermal convection began, allowing the formation of a

High beat-flow foci on the Earth have been named ‘hot-spots’ and are commonly correlated with ‘mantle-plumes’ in the deep. A mantle plume may be described as a portion of mantle material with a higher heat content than its surroundings. The intrusion of a mantle-plume is inferred to be similar to

- The flow structure in vertical mantle heat exchangers was investigated using a full-scale tank designed to facilitate flow visualisation. The flow structure and velocities in the mantle were measured using a particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system. A CFD simulation model of vertical mantle heat...... exchangers was also developed for detailed evaluation of the heat flux distribution over the mantle surface. Both the experimental and simulation results indicate that distribution of the flow around the mantle gap is governed by buoyancy driven recirculation in the mantle. The operation of the mantle...

Characteristics of vertical mantle heat exchanger tanks for SDHW systems have been investigated experimentally and theoretically using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and CFD modelling. A glass model of a mantle heat exchanger tank was constructed so that the flow distribution in the mantle could...... be studied using the PIV test facility. Two transient three-dimensional CFD-models of the glass model mantle tank were developed using the CFD-programmes CFX and FLUENT.The experimental results illustrate that the mantle flow structure in the mantle is complicated and the distribution of flow in the mantle...

The thermoconvective instability of the Earth's mantle is analysed. The mantle is modelled as an infinite horizontal layer with a free upper surface, heated from below. The creep in the mantle is supposed to be transient when strains are small. This transient creep is described by Lomnitz's law modified by Jeffreys (1958a). It is shown that disturbances, in the form of thermoconvective waves with a period of 10 8 - 10 9y and wavelength of the order 10 3 km, can propagate through the mantle without attenuation. These waves induce oscillations of the Earth's surface. The pattern of flows differs greatly from that suggested by plate tectonics. An attempt is made to give a new explanation for the linear magnetic anomalies over oceanic ridges.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — NNDSS - Table IV. Tuberculosis - 2016.This Table includes total number of cases reported in the United States, by region and by states, in accordance with the...

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — NNDSS - Table IV. Tuberculosis - 2014.This Table includes total number of cases reported in the United States, by region and by states, in accordance with the...

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — NNDSS - Table IV. Tuberculosis - 2015.This Table includes total number of cases reported in the United States, by region and by states, in accordance with the...

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Utilizing a unique, new occultation technique involving imaging, the SAGE IV concept will meet or exceed the quality of previous SAGE measurements at a small...

Full Text Available Protein-energy wasting is common in patients with end-stage kidney disease. However, few studies have examined the relationship between early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD and sarcopenia.We conducted a cross-sectional study based on data in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008-2011. In total, 11,625 subjects aged 40 years or older who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were analyzed. Sarcopenia was defined based on values of appendicular skeletal muscle mass as a percentage of body weight (ASM/Wt two standard deviations below the gender-specific mean for young adults. Estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR were calculated using the CKD-EPI equation.Mean age, body mass index (BMI, and HOMA-IR were higher and caloric intake, physical activity, and vitamin D level were lower in the sarcopenia groups in both men and women. As the stage of CKD increased, the prevalence of sarcopenia increased, even in the early stages of CKD (normal and CKD1, 2, and 3-5: 2.6%, 5.6%, and 18.1% in men and 5.3%, 7.1%, and 12.6% in women, respectively; p < 0.001. In addition, a correlation analysis showed that GFR and ASM/Wt had significant correlations in both men and women. Logistic regression analyses, after adjusting for age, BMI, caloric intake, log(physical activity, vitamin D level, and log(HOMA-IR, showed that the odds ratio for sarcopenia with respect to CKD 3-5 was 1.93 (95% CI = 1.02-3.68 in men but was not statistically significant in women.The prevalence of sarcopenia was higher in elderly Korean patients with even mildly reduced kidney function. Stage of CKD was associated with an increased prevalence of sarcopenia in men but not women. Thus, we should evaluate the risk of sarcopenia and work to prevent it, even in patients with early CKD.

The impact of remotely forced mantle flow on regional subduction evolution is largely unexplored. Here we investigate this by means of 3D thermo-mechanical numerical modeling using a regional modeling domain. We start with simplified models consisting of a 600 km (or 1400 km) wide subducting plate surrounded by other plates. Mantle inflow of ∼3 cm/yr is prescribed during 25 Myr of slab evolution on a subset of the domain boundaries while the other side boundaries are open. Our experiments show that the influence of imposed mantle flow on subduction evolution is the least for trench-perpendicular mantle inflow from either the back or front of the slab leading to 10-50 km changes in slab morphology and trench position while no strong slab dip changes were observed, as compared to a reference model with no imposed mantle inflow. In experiments with trench-oblique mantle inflow we notice larger effects of slab bending and slab translation of the order of 100-200 km. Lastly, we investigate how subduction in the western Mediterranean region is influenced by remotely excited mantle flow that is computed by back-advection of a temperature and density model scaled from a global seismic tomography model. After 35 Myr of subduction evolution we find 10-50 km changes in slab position and slab morphology and a slight change in overall slab tilt. Our study shows that remotely forced mantle flow leads to secondary effects on slab evolution as compared to slab buoyancy and plate motion. Still these secondary effects occur on scales, 10-50 km, typical for the large-scale deformation of the overlying crust and thus may still be of large importance for understanding geological evolution.

CONCLUSION: When faecal incontinence as a result of enterocollitis with Clostridium difficile does occur, a limiting contact with the patient’s skin is extremely important as breakdown can occur rapidly. In addition to tissue injury, faecal incontinence can have a major impact on the patient’s dignity and result in prolonged hospital stay. The main outcomes assested in the case studies were resolution of of decubital ulcers as a result of faecal incontinence, patient comfort and ease of application of the FMS and NPWT. The soft flexible catheter was easily inserted without discomfort to the patients. It gently conformed to the rectal vault, reducing significantly the risk of necrosis, and the risk for prolonged necrosis in cases with previously developed necrosis. FMS was successful in diverting faecal fluid away from the perineal tissue and resolved any decubitus ulcer developed previously in combination with use of NPWT. So, we can recommend this combination in those cases especially with polytraumatismus, vertical share pelvis fracture combined with diarrhea and deep wound infection of decubital ulcers Grade IV infected with Cl. difficile.

Interactions between material that would become Earth's core and mantle began prior to accretion. For example, during and just after the supernova event that is thought to have produced the matter that comprises our solar system, a substantial amount of its iron and other heavy elements were forged in nucleosynthetic processes, establishing a pattern of elemental and isotopic abundances that is reflected in the composition of our planet today, and sets the relative size of the core and mantle. As Earth accreted, metals and silicates were delivered together in mostly small increments, and formation of the core required separation and gravitational settling of the metal to the center, probably facilitated by extensive melting. This process over-printed previous metal-silicate interactions, owing to chemical interactions and re-equilibration at higher pressures and temperatures. The heat of core formation was dissipated largely in the mantle if metal descended as diapirs, or was retained in the metal if it was able to crack the mantle and sink by rapid turbulent injection into the core. These processes established the first temperature contrast between the core and the mantle, controlling the extent to which the core could become a giant heat capacitor and supply thermal energy heat to the mantle. Beginning from this very early stage we are able to correlate different hypothesized processes with their variable implications for core-mantle boundary (CMB) heat flow through time. In fact, CMB heat flow is a thread that runs through almost every important question regarding the evolution of the core and mantle. Whole mantle convection vs. layered convection, the abundance of radioactive isotopes, age of the inner core, sustenance of the ancient geodynamo, the possibility of basal magma oceans, core-mantle chemical interactions, etc., all have close connections to CMB heat flow. Here I will attempt to discriminate hypotheses for many processes into high vs. low CMB heat

We retrospectively analyzed 44 patients undergoing first-line treatment for mantle cell lymphoma with R-HyperCVAD, with or without rituximab (R) maintenance or auto-SCT. The primary study end point was PFS; secondary end point was overall survival.Median follow up for all patients was 3.3 years. Median age was 54 years, and 95% (n=42) were stage III or IV at diagnosis. In all, 17 patients underwent consolidative auto-SCT and 12 patients received R maintenance. The overall response rate was 95%, with 91% achieving complete response (CR). Median PFS for all patients was 3.5 years. Median PFS was 2.3 years for patients treated with R-HyperCVAD alone vs 3.9 years (P=0.02) with R-HyperCVAD+ R maintenance and 4.5 years (P=0.01) with R-HyperCVAD+ auto-SCT. For patients who did not achieve CR at interim staging, PFS for R-HyperCVAD alone was 1.4 years vs not reached for R-HyperCVAD+ consolidation (either R maintenance or auto-SCT) (P=0.02). PFS for patients with CR at interim staging was 3.3 years vs not reached (P=0.04) after consolidation. Our data suggest potential improvement in PFS when R-HyperCVAD is consolidated with either R maintenance or auto-SCT. This benefit appears particularly significant in those patients who do not achieve CR at interim restaging.

Pyroxenites and garnet pyroxenites are mantle heterogeneities characterized by a lower solidus temperature than the enclosing peridotites; it follows that they are preferentially involved during magma genesis. Constraining their origin, composition, and the interactions they underwent during their subsequent evolution is therefore essential to discuss the sources of magmatism in a given area. Pyroxenites could represent either recycling of crustal rocks in mantle domains or mantle originated rocks (formed either by olivine consuming melt-rock reactions or by crystal fractionation). Petrological and geochemical (major and trace elements, Sr-Nd and O isotopes) features of xenoliths from various occurrences (French Massif-Central, Jordan, Morocco and Cameroon) show that these samples represent cumulates crystallized during melt percolation at mantle conditions. They formed in mantle domains at pressures of 1-2 GPa during post-collisional magmatism (possibly Hercynian for the French Massif-Central, and Panafrican for Morocco, Jordan and Cameroon). The thermal re-equilibration of lithospheric domains, typical of the late orogenic exhumation stages, is also recorded by the samples. Most of the samples display a metasomatic overprint that may be either inherited or likely linked to the recent volcanic activity that occurred in the investigated regions. The crystallization of pyroxenites during late orogenic events has implications for the subsequent evolution of the mantle domains. The presence of large amounts of mantle pyroxenites in old orogenic regions indeed imparts peculiar physical and chemical characteristics to these domains. Among others, the global solidus temperature of the whole lithospheric domain will be lowered; in turn, this implies that old orogenic regions are refertilized zones where magmatic activity would be enhanced.

The composition of the mantle affects many geodynamical processes by altering factors such as the density, the location of phase changes, and melting temperature. The inferences we make about mantle composition also determine how we interpret the changes in velocity, reflections, attenuation and scattering seen by seismologists. However, the bulk composition of the mantle is very poorly constrained. Inferences are made from meteorite samples, rock samples from the Earth and inferences made from geophysical data. All of these approaches require significant assumptions and the inferences made are subject to large uncertainties. Here we present a new method for inferring mantle composition, based on pattern recognition machine learning, which uses large scale in situ observations of the mantle to make fully probabilistic inferences of composition for convection simulations. Our method has an advantage over other petrological approaches because we use large scale geophysical observations. This means that we average over much greater length scales and do not need to rely on extrapolating from localised samples of the mantle or planetary disk. Another major advantage of our method is that it is fully probabilistic. This allows us to include all of the uncertainties inherent in the inference process, giving us far more information about the reliability of the result than other methods. Finally our method includes the impact of composition on mantle convection. This allows us to make much more precise inferences from geophysical data than other geophysical approaches, which attempt to invert one observation with no consideration of the relationship between convection and composition. We use a sampling based inversion method, using hundreds of convection simulations run using StagYY with self consistent mineral physics properties calculated using the PerpleX package. The observations from these simulations are used to train a neural network to make a probabilistic inference

Mantle plumes are traditionally proposed to play an important role in lithosphere erosion. Seismic images beneath Hawaii and Cape Verde show a lithosphere-asthenosphere-boundary (LAB) up to 50 km shallower than the surroundings. However, numerical models show that unless the plate is stationary the thermo-mechanical erosion of the lithosphere does not exceed 30 km. We use 2D petrological-thermo-mechanical numerical models based on a finite-difference method on a staggered grid and marker in cell method to study the role of partial melting on the plume-lithosphere interaction. A homogeneous peridotite composition with a Newtonian temperature- and pressure-dependent viscosity is used to simulate both the plate and the convective mantle. A constant velocity, ranging from 5 to 12.5 cm/yr, is imposed at the top of the plate. Plumes are created by imposing a thermal anomaly of 150 to 350 K on a 50 km wide domain at the base of the model (700 km depth); the plate right above the thermal anomaly is 40 Myr old. Partial melting is modeled using batch-melting solidus and liquidus in anhydrous conditions. We model the progressive depletion of peridotite and its effect on partial melting by assuming that the melting degree only strictly increases through time. Melt is accumulated until a porosity threshold is reached and the melt in excess is then extracted. The rheology of the partially molten peridotite is determined using viscous constitutive relationship based on a contiguity model, which enables to take into account the effects of grain-scale melt distribution. Above a threshold of 1%, melt is instantaneously extracted. The density varies as a function of partial melting degree and extraction. Besides, we analyze the kinematics of the plume as it impacts a moving plate, the dynamics of time-dependent small-scale convection (SSC) instabilities developing in the low-viscosity layer formed by spreading of hot plume material at the lithosphere base, and the resulting thermal

In lithospheric-scale strike-slip fault zones, upper crustal strength is well constrained from borehole observations and fault rock deformation experiments, but mantle strength is less well known. Using peridotite xenoliths, we show that the upper mantle below the San Andreas fault system

Today development of nuclear technology has reached the stage of research and development of Generation IV nuclear power plants (advanced reactor systems) which is an innovative development from the previous generation of nuclear power plants. There are six types of power generation IV reactors, namely: Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR), Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR), Gas-cooled Fast Reactor (GFR), Lead-cooled Fast Reactor (LFR), Molten Salt Reactor (MSR), and Super Critical Water-cooled Reactor (SCWR). The purpose of this study is to know the development of Generation IV nuclear power plants that have been done by the thirteen countries that are members of the Gen IV International Forum (GIF). The method used is review study and refers to various studies related to the current status of research and development of generation IV nuclear power. The result of this study showed that the systems and technology on Generation IV nuclear power plants offer significant advances in sustainability, safety and reliability, economics, and proliferation resistance and physical protection. In addition, based on the research and development experience is estimated that: SFR can be used optimally in 2015, VHTR in 2020, while NPP types GFR, LFR, MSR, and SCWR in 2025. Utilization of NPP generation IV said to be optimal if fulfill the goal of NPP generation IV, such as: capable to generate energy sustainability and promote long-term availability of nuclear fuel, minimize nuclear waste and reduce the long term stewardship burden, has an advantage in the field of safety and reliability compared to the previous generation of NPP and VHTR technology have a good prospects in Indonesia. (author)

A literature review was performed on mantle cells lymphoma in the therapeutic schemes. The literature that has been used is published in journals of medicine specializing in hematology, oncology, radiation therapy, molecular biology and internal medicine. The literature review was performed to propose a scheme of treatment according to Costa Rica. Epigenetic alterations have been revealed in patients with mantle lymphoma on current researches. The mantle lymphoma pathology has been described in various forms of clinical and histological presentation, stressing the importance of detailing the different methods and diagnostic reports. Working groups have proposed and developed various chemotherapy regimens and concluded that CHOP alone is without effect in mantle cell lymphoma unlike R-hyper-CVAD, CHOP / DHAP, high-dose Ara-C. Researchers have tried to develop new treatments based vaccines, use of modified viruses, specific monoclonal antibodies. The classic treatment has been triple intrathecal therapy. The central nervous system has been one of the most momentous sites of mantle cell lymphoma infiltration because poorer patient prognosis [es

Thorium nitrate is used in the production of incandescent mantles for gas lanterns. In this report dose estimates are given for internal and external exposure that result from the use of the incandescent mantles for gas lanterns. The collective, effective dose equivalent for all users of gas mantles is estimated to be about 100 Sv per annum in the Netherlands. For the population involved (ca. 700,000 persons) this is roughly equivalent to 5% to 10% of the collective dose equivalent associated with exposure to radiation from natural sources. The major contribution to dose estimates comes from inhalation of radium during burning of the mantles. A pessimistic approach results in individual dose estimates for inhalation of up to 0.2 mSv. Consideration of dose consequences in case of a fire in a storage department learns that it is necessary for emergency personnel to wear respirators. It is concluded that the uncontrolled removal of used gas mantles to the environment (soil) does not result in a significant contribution to environmental radiation exposure. (Auth.)

Mantle convection is the mechanism ultimately responsible for most geological activity at Earth's surface. To zeroth order, the lithosphere is the cold outer thermal boundary layer of the convecting mantle. Subduction of cold dense lithosphere provides tha major source of negative buoyancy driving mantle convection and, hence, surface tectonics. There are, however, importnat differences between plate tectonics and the more familiar convecting systems observed in the laboratory. Most important, the temperature dependence of the effective viscosity of mantle rocks makes the thermal boundary layer mechanically strong, leading to nearly rigid plates. This strength stabilizes the cold boundary layer against small amplitude perturbations and allows it to store substantial gravitational potential energy. Paradoxically, through going faults at subduction zones make the lithosphere there locally weak, allowing rapid convergence, unlike what is observed in laboratory experiments using fluids with temperature dependent viscosities. This bimodal strength distribution of the lithosphere distinguishes plate tectonics from simple convection experiments. In addition, Earth has a buoyant, relatively weak layer (the crust) occupying the upper part of the thermal boundary layer. Phase changes lead to extra sources of heat and bouyancy. These phenomena lead to observed richness of behavior of the plate tectonic style of mantle convection.

Intravenous (IV) access is a valuable skill for dental practitioners in emergency situations and in IV sedation. However, many people feel some apprehension about performing this procedure. This article explains the basic principles behind IV access, and the relevant anatomy and physiology, as well as giving a step-by-step guide to placing an IV cannula.

The Equatorial Highlands of Venus consist of a series of quasicircular regions of high topography, rising up to about 5 km above the mean planetary radius. These highlands are strongly correlated with positive geoid anomalies, with a peak amplitude of 120 m at Atla Regio. Shield volcanism is observed at Beta, Eistla, Bell, and Atla Regiones and in the Hathor Mons-Innini Mons-Ushas Mons region of the southern hemisphere. Volcanos have also been mapped in Phoebe Regio and flood volcanism is observed in Ovda and Thetis Regiones. Extensional tectonism is also observed in Ovda and Thetis Regiones. Extensional tectonism is also observed in many of these regions. It is now widely accepted that at least Beta, Atla, Eistla, and Bell Regiones are the surface expressions of hot, rising mantel plumes. Upwelling plumes are consistent with both the volcanism and the extensional tectonism observed in these regions. The geoid anomalies and topography of these four regions show considerable variation. Peak geoid anomalies exceed 90 m at Beta and Atla, but are only 40 m at Eistla and 24 m at Bell. Similarly, the peak topography is greater at Beta and Atla than at Eistla and Bell. Such a range of values is not surprising because terrestrial hotspot swells also have a side range of geoid anomalies and topographic uplifts. Kiefer and Hager used cylindrical axisymmetric, steady-state convection calculations to show that mantle plumes can quantitatively account for both the amplitude and the shape of the long-wavelength geoid and topography at Beta and Atla. In these models, most of the topography of these highlands is due to uplift by the vertical normal stress associated with the rising plume. Additional topography may also be present due to crustal thickening by volcanism and crustal thinning by rifting. Smrekar and Phillips have also considered the geoid and topography of plumes on Venus, but they restricted themselves to considering only the geoid-topography ratio and did not

The thermal conductivity properties of the minerals comprising the Earth's lowermost mantle control the core-mantle boundary heat flux, and are therefore critical properties for determining the thermal state and evolution of the Earth's interior. Here we present measurements of the thermal conductivity of lower mantle oxides and silicates as a function of pressure, temperature, and iron content determined in the laser-heated diamond anvil cell using a combination of measurements and 3-D modeling. Our models and measurements demonstrate that the measured steady-state temperature and its increase with increasing laser power depend on the sample thermal conductivity as well as the experimental geometry, enabling measurements of the pressure- and temperature- dependence of lattice thermal conductivity in the laser-heated diamond anvil cell. We applied this technique to iron-bearing silicate perovskites and MgO at lower mantle pressure and temperature conditions. For MgO, we determine the increase in thermal conductivity k with density ρ to be ∂lnk/∂lnρ=4.7±0.6, which is in agreement with results obtained using other experimental and computational techniques. For (Mg0.8,Fe0.2)SiO3 perovskite, we find ∂lnk/∂lnρ=2.9±0.6. We use these values in combination with independent computational and experimental results to determine thermal conductivity of lower mantle minerals up to core-mantle boundary conditions. We combine the mineralogical thermal conductivity estimates in a composite model and include an estimate for the radiative contribution to thermal conductivity. Our new value of the thermal conductivity of the lowermost mantle is ~5-6 W/m/K and is sensitive to the details of the lower mantle assemblage, but is relatively insensitive to pressure and temperature. We combine our mantle thermal conductivity with models for the lower mantle boundary layer to generate a series of two-dimensional maps of core-mantle boundary heat flux, which emphasize the

Full Text Available In the title complex, [PtBr2(CH32(C5H5N2], the PtIV metal centre lies on a twofold rotation axis and adopts a slightly distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The structure displays weak intramolecular C—H...Br hydrogen-bonding interactions.

A persistent reversal in the expected polarity of the initiation of vertically polarized shear waves that graze the D'' layer (the layer at the boundary between the outer core and the lower mantle of Earth) in some regions starts at the arrival time of horizontally polarized shear waves. Full waveform modeling of the split shear waves for paths beneath the Caribbean requires azimuthal anisotropy at the base of the mantle. Models with laterally coherent patterns of transverse isotropy with the hexagonal symmetry axis of the mineral phases tilted from the vertical by as much as 20° are consistent with the data. Small-scale convection cells within the mantle above the D'' layer may cause the observed variations by inducing laterally variable crystallographic or shape-preferred orientation in minerals in the D'' layer.

Linear chains of intraplate volcanoes and their geochemistry provide a record of mantle melting through geological time. The isotopic compositions of their lavas characterize their mantle sources, and their ages help backtrack these volcanoes to their original, eruptive source regions. Such data may shed light on a much-debated issue in Earth Sciences: the origin of intraplate volcanism and its underlying mantle and lithosphere dynamics. We show here that three major Western Pacific Seamount groups, ˜ 50-100 million years in age, display distinct Sr, Nd, Hf, and Pb isotopic signatures that can be traced back in time, both geographically and geochemically, to three separate, recently-active intraplate volcanoes in the South Pacific Cook-Austral Islands. Their unique 100 million year history, which shows a persistent geochemical fingerprint, suggests formation from large volumes of laterally fixed, long-lived source regions. Such longevity is unlikely to be attained in the relatively dynamic upper mantle. Therefore, these sources are likely anchored deep in the mantle, isolated from homogenization by mantle convection, and imply a primary origin from deep mantle plumes rather than resulting from lithosphere extension.

The preferred histopathological classification of Hodgkin's disease (HD) is suggested by Lukes and Butler as modified at the Rye Symposium; the histologic subtypes are highly reproducible and correlate well with the anatomic sites of involvement, clinical stage, and survival. The accuracy of the bipedal lymphangiogram, /sup 67/gallium scan, and ultrasonography in predicting abdominal involvement by HD is 90 percent, 50 percent, and 88 percent, respectively. Staging laparotomy remains the most accurate method of detecting intra-abdominal disease and has added immensely to new concepts in the management of HD. These concepts suggest that patients with nodal disease limited to the celiac axis or upper para-aortic areas (substage III/sub 1/) or pathologic stage (PS) III/sub S+N-/A, when treated with extended field radiotherapy alone have survival rates comparable to PS IIA patients. In contrast, patients in PS IIIA with lower abdominal nodal disease (substage III/sub 2/), regardless of splenic involvement, have a prognosis comparable to PS IV disease. Thus, there may only be two stages of HD, those curable with extended mantle or smaller radiotherapy fields alone, and those requiring chemotherapy with or without supplemental radiotherapy.

This report evaluates Enhanced Design Alternative (EDA) IV as part of the second phase of the License Application Design Selection (LADS) effort. The EDA IV concept was compared to the VA reference design using criteria from the Design Input Request for LADS Phase II EDA Evaluations (CRWMS M and O 1999b) and (CRWMS M and O 1999f). Briefly, the EDA IV concept arranges the waste packages close together in an emplacement configuration known as line load. Continuous pre-closure ventilation keeps the waste packages from exceeding their 350 C cladding and 200 C (4.3.6) drift wall temperature limits. This EDA concept keeps relatively high, uniform emplacement drift temperatures (post-closure) to drive water away from the repository and thus dry out the pillars between emplacement drifts. The waste package is shielded to permit human access to emplacement drifts and includes an integral filler inside the package to reduce the amount of water that can contact the waste form. Closure of the repository is desired 50 years after first waste is emplaced. Both backfill and drip shields will be emplaced at closure to improve post-closure performance. The EDA IV concept includes more defense-in-depth layers than the VA reference design because of its backfill, drip shield, waste package shielding, and integral filler features. These features contribute to the low dose-rate to the public achieved during the first 10,000 years of repository life as shown in Figure 3. Investigation of the EDA IV concept has led to the following general conclusions: (1) The total life cycle cost for EDA IV is about $21.7 billion which equates to a $11.3 billion net present value (both figures rounded up). (2) The incidence of design basis events for EDA IV is similar to the VA reference design. (3) The emplacement of the waste packages in drifts will be similar to the VA reference design. However, heavier equipment may be required because the shielded waste package will be heavier. (4) The heavier

The structure of mantle convection will greatly influence the generation and the survival of compositional heterogeneities. Conversely, geochemical observations can be used to obtain information about heterogeneities in the mantle and then, with certain model assumptions, information about the

This book highlights and discusses recent developments that have contributed to an improved understanding of observed mantle heterogeneities and their relation to the thermo-chemical state of Earth's mantle, which ultimately holds the key to unlocking the secrets of the evolution of our planet. This series of topical reviews and original contributions address 4 themes. Theme 1 covers topics in geophysics, including global and regional seismic tomography, electrical conductivity and seismic imaging of mantle discontinuities and heterogeneities in the upper mantle, transition zone and lower mantle. Theme 2 addresses geochemical views of the mantle including lithospheric evolution from analysis of mantle xenoliths, composition of the deep Earth and the effect of water on subduction-zone processes. Theme 3 discusses geodynamical perspectives on the global thermo-chemical structure of the deep mantle. Theme 4 covers application of mineral physics data and phase equilibrium computations to infer the regional-scale ...

A model, describing the heat transfer coefficients in the mantle of a mantle tank has been developed. The model is validated by means of measurements with varying operational conditions for different designed mantle tanks. The model has been implemented in an existing detailed mathematical...... programme that simulates the thermal behaviour of low flow SDHW systems. The yearly thermal performance of low flow SDHW systems with different designed mantle tanks has been calculated. The influence of the mantle tank design on the thermal performance is investigated by means of the calculations...... with the programme and by means of tests of three SDHW systems with different designed mantle tanks. Based on the investigations design rules for mantle tanks are proposed. The model, describing the heat transfer coefficients in the mantle is approximate. In addition, the measurements have revealed...

- The flow structure in vertical mantle heat exchangers was investigated using a full-scale tank designed to facilitate flow visualisation. The flow structure and velocities in the mantle were measured using a particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system. A CFD simulation model of vertical mantle heat...

A boundary between compositionally distinct regions at a depth of about 1600 kilometers may explain the seismological observations pertaining to Earth's lower mantle, produce the isotopic signatures of mid-ocean ridge basalts and oceanic island basalts, and reconcile the discrepancy between the

Recent tomography models (Sigloch, 2011; Schmandt & Lin, 2014) reveal unprecedented details of the mantle structure beneath the United States (U.S.). Prominent slow seismic anomalies below Yellowstone, traditionally interpreted as due to a mantle plume, are restricted to depths either shallower than 200 km or between 500 and 1000 km, but a continuation to greater depth is missing. Compared to fast seismic anomalies, which are usually interpreted as slabs or delaminated lithosphere, origin of deep slow seismic anomalies, especially those in the vicinity of subduction zones, is more enigmatic. As a consequence, both the dynamics and evolution of these slow anomalies remain poorly understood. To investigate the origin and evolution of the Yellowstone slow anomaly during the past 20 Myr, we construct a 4D inverse mantle convection model with a hybrid data assimilation scheme. On the one hand, we use the adjoint method to recover the past evolution of mantle seismic structures beyond the subduction zones. On the other hand, we use a high-resolution forward model to simulate the subduction of the oceanic (i.e., Farallon) plate. During the adjoint iterations, features from these two approaches are blended together at a depth of ~200 km below the subduction zone. In practice, we convert fast and slow seismic anomalies to effective positive and negative density heterogeneities. Our preliminary results indicate that at 20 Ma, the present-day shallow slow anomalies beneath the western U.S. were located inside the oceanic asthenosphere, which subsequently entered the mantle wedge, through the segmented Farallon slab. The eastward encroachment of the slow anomaly largely followed the Yellowstone hotspot track migration. The present deep mantle Yellowstone slow anomaly originated at shallower depths (i.e. transition zone), and was then translated down to the lower mantle accompanying the sinking fast anomalies. The temporal evolution of the slow anomalies suggests that the deep

The fact that Archean and Proterozoic cratons are underlain by the thickest (>200 km) lithosphere on Earth has always puzzled scientists because the dynamic convection of the surrounding asthenosphere would be expected to delaminate and erode these mantle lithospheric "keels" over time. Although density and temperature of the cratonic lithosphere certainly play a role in its strength and longevity, the role of water has only been recently addressed with data on actual mantle samples. Water in mantle lithologies (primarily peridotites and pyroxenites) is mainly stored in nominally anhydrous minerals (olivine, pyroxene, garnet) where it is incorporated as hydrogen bonded to structural oxygen in lattice defects. The property of hydrolytic weakening of olivine [4] has generated the hypothesis that olivine, the main mineral of the upper mantle, may be dehydrated in cratonic mantle lithospheres, contributing to its strength. This presentation will review the distribution of water concentrations in four cratonic lithospheres. The distribution of water contents in olivine from peridotite xenoliths found in kimberlites is different in each craton (Figure 1). The range of water contents of olivine, pyroxene and garnet at each xenolith location appears linked to local metasomatic events, some of which occurred later then the Archean and Proterozoic when these peridotites initially formed via melting. Although the low olivine water contents ( 6 GPa at the base of the Kaapvaal cratonic lithosphere may contribute to its strength, and prevent its delamination, the wide range of those from Siberian xenoliths is not compatible with providing a high enough viscosity contrast with the asthenophere. The water content in olivine inclusions from Siberian diamonds, on the other hand, have systematically low water contents (water contents. The olivine inclusions, however, may have been protected from metasomatism by their host diamond and record the overall low olivine water content of

In 1794 the German physicist Chladni published a small book in which he suggested the extraterrestrial origin of meteorites. The response was skepticism and disbelief. Only after additional witnessed falls of meteorites did scientists begin to consider Chladni's hypothesis seriously. The first chemical analyses of meteorites were published by the English chemist Howard in 1802, and shortly afterwards by Klaproth, a professor of chemistry in Berlin. These early investigations led to the important conclusion that meteorites contained the same elements that were known from analyses of terrestrial rocks. By the year 1850, 18 elements had been identified in meteorites: carbon, oxygen, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, phosphorous, sulfur, potassium, calcium, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and tin (Burke, 1986). A popular hypothesis, which arose after the discovery of the first asteroid Ceres on January 1, 1801 by Piazzi, held that meteorites came from a single disrupted planet between Mars and Jupiter. In 1847 the French geologist Boisse (1810-1896) proposed an elaborate model that attempted to account for all known types of meteorites from a single planet. He envisioned a planet with layers in sequence of decreasing densities from the center to the surface. The core of the planet consisted of metallic iron surrounded by a mixed iron-olivine zone. The region overlying the core contained material similar to stony meteorites with ferromagnesian silicates and disseminated grains of metal gradually extending into shallower layers with aluminous silicates and less iron. The uppermost layer consisted of metal-free stony meteorites, i.e., eucrites or meteoritic basalts. About 20 years later, Daubrée (1814-1896) carried out experiments by melting and cooling meteorites. On the basis of his results, he came to similar conclusions as Boisse, namely that meteorites come from a single, differentiated planet with a metal core, a silicate mantle

them, with lower seismic property, thus giving the anisotropy. A.m. conservation in the poleward outer-core flow just below the CMB, needed to provide that cooler polar downwelling flow to the IC, would accelerate it clockwise. This seems likely to be the ultimate agent of Antarctica's CW rotation. Finally we come right back to the surface, to the nominally continental crust. Important thermal epeirogenic sensitivity resides in its deep constitution [13]. But much of the crust of continental shelves and beneath deep sedimentary basins appears to lack this sensitivity. So I have reasoned [13] that this 'intermediate crust' (IC) is the product, not of stretching, but of a sedimentation-dominated pre-oceanic stage of continental splitting that has modified crustal genesis by the MOR process but retained the accreting-deep-narrow-crack aspect and resulting seismic anisotropy. If, as geometrical reconstructions lead me to believe, this is the origin of the widespread block-and-basin structures in continents, then it offers also a fascinating explanation of the seismic anisotropy, and its direction, increasingly reported beneath the epeirogenically identifiable IC areas of crust. In that case, as noted at the beginning, crystallization from melt would indeed emerge as the principal agent of seismic anisotropy in the Earth. [1] Raitt RW et al. (1969) Anisotropy of the Pacific upper mantle. JGR 74, 3095-3109. [2] Karato S (1986) Does partial melting reduce the creep strength of the upper mantle? Nature 319, 309. [3] Hirth G & Kohlstedt DL (1996) Water in the oceanic upper mantle: implication for rheology, melt extraction, and the evolution of the lithosphere. EPSL 144, 93-108. [4] Osmaston MF (2010) On the actual variety of plate dynamical mechanisms and how mantle evolution affected them through time, from core formation to the Indian collision. Geophys. Res. Abstr. 12, EGU2010-6101. [5] Osmaston MF (2006) Global tectonic actions emanating from Arctic opening in the

The two most important agents that cause mantle evolution are magmatism and mantle convection. My earlier 2D numerical models of a coupled magmatism-mantle convection system show that these two agents strongly couple each other, when the Rayleigh number Ra is sufficiently high: magmatism induced by a mantle upwelling flow boosts the upwelling flow itself. The mantle convection enhanced by this positive feedback (the magmatism-mantle upwelling, or MMU, feedback) causes vigorous magmatism and, at the same time, strongly stirs the mantle. I explored how the MMU feedback influences the evolution of the earliest mantle that contains the magma ocean, based on a numerical model where the mantle is hot and its topmost 1/3 is partially molten at the beginning of the calculation: The evolution drastically changes its style, as Ra exceeds the threshold for onset of the MMU feedback, around 107. At Ra 107, however, the mantle remains compositionally more homogeneous in spite of the widespread magmatism, and the deep mantle remains hotter than the shallow mantle, because of the strong convective stirring caused by the feedback. The threshold value suggests that the mantle of a planet larger than Mars evolves in a way substantially different from that in the Moon does. Indeed, in my earlier models, magmatism makes the early mantle compositionally stratified in the Moon, but the effects of strong convective stirring overwhelms that of magmatism to keep the mantle compositionally rather homogeneous in Venus and the Earth. The MMU feedback is likely to be a key to understanding why vestiges of the magma ocean are so scarce in the Earth.

Large-scale tectonic processes introduce a range of crustal lithologies into the Earth's mantle. These lithologies have been implicated as sources of compositional heterogeneity in mantle-derived magmas. The model being explored here assumes the presence of widely dispersed fragments of residual eclogite (derived from recycled oceanic crust), stretched and stirred by convection in the mantle. Here we show with an experimental study that these residual eclogites continuously melt during upwelling of such heterogeneous mantle and we characterize the melting reactions and compositional changes in the residue minerals. The chemical exchange between these partial melts and more refractory peridotite leads to a variably metasomatised mantle. Re-melting of these metasomatised peridotite lithologies at given pressures and temperatures results in diverse melt compositions, which may contribute to the observed heterogeneity of oceanic basalt suites. We also show that heterogeneous upwelling mantle is subject to diverse local freezing, hybridization and carbonate-carbon-silicate redox reactions along a mantle adiabat.

Recovery from obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) surgery, including hysterectomy and cesarean section delivery, aims to restore function while minimizing hospital length of stay (LOS) and medical expenditures. Our analyses compare OB/GYN surgery patients who received combination intravenous (IV) acetaminophen and IV opioid analgesia with those who received IV opioid-only analgesia and estimate differences in LOS, hospitalization costs, and opioid consumption. We performed a retrospective analysis of the Premier Database between January 2009 and June 2015, comparing OB/GYN surgery patients who received postoperative pain management with combination IV acetaminophen and IV opioids with those who received only IV opioids starting on the day of surgery and continuing up to the second postoperative day. We performed instrumental variable 2-stage least-squares regressions controlling for patient and hospital covariates to compare the LOS, hospitalization costs, and daily opioid doses (morphine equivalent dose) of IV acetaminophen recipients with that of opioid-only analgesia patients. We identified 225 142 OB/GYN surgery patients who were eligible for our study of whom 89 568 (40%) had been managed with IV acetaminophen and opioids. Participants averaged 36 years of age and were predominantly non-Hispanic Caucasians (60%). Multivariable regression models estimated statistically significant differences in hospitalization cost and opioid use with IV acetaminophen associated with $484.4 lower total hospitalization costs (95% CI = -$760.4 to -$208.4; P = 0.0006) and 8.2 mg lower daily opioid use (95% CI = -10.0 to -6.4), whereas the difference in LOS was not significant, at -0.09 days (95% CI = -0.19 to 0.01; P = 0.07). Compared with IV opioid-only analgesia, managing post-OB/GYN surgery pain with the addition of IV acetaminophen is associated with decreased hospitalization costs and reduced opioid use.

Fresh mantle rocks (Total ~300Kg) have been recovered from three dredge hauls on Gakkel Ridge. Most of the fresh material (~275 Kg) is from a single dredge haul (PS66-238) from PFS POLARSTERN ARK XX/2 in 2004 (not from the AMORE expedition). The samples from this group comprise extremely fresh protogranular lherzolites that have clearly defined 1-2 cm orange weathering rinds. The weathered material seems to be mostly discoloration along grain boundaries, as bulk weathering (e.g. Snow and Dick, 1995) cannot be detected in bulk analyses. The fresh cores are largely devoid of serpentine that can be identified in hand sample or SEM. The samples show a bimodal grain size distribution and abundant polygonization of olivine, but little stretching of pyroxene grains, suggesting that they have not been subject to intense deformation that has been seen in many mid-ocean ridge peridotites. Currently, 14 of the 208 discrete samples have been studied. The major element compositions of these samples range from relatively fertile spinel lherzolites to moderately depleted cpx-bearing harzburgites, both in their bulk chemistry and in the compositions of major minerals. The average Cr# (Dick and Bullen, 1984) of spinel ranges from 0.15 to 0.28, suggesting 5-12% melt extraction (Hellebrand et al. 2001). Trace elements measured by SIMS and LA-ICPMS reveal metasomatism and refertilization of the LREE. Os isotopes vary from 187Os/188Os of 0.128 to 0.114, revealing an ancient component that can be interpreted either as a fertile ambient mantle with a highly depleted ancient exotic block or as a single mantle domain variably depleted in an ancient melting event (Liu et al., 2008). Bulk Li isotopic data correspond to estimates of the MORB mantle, however mineral separates show significant isotopic heterogeneity that appears to be caused by diffusion caused by Li redistribution during uplift and cooling (Gao et al., accepted). The altered samples have radically different textures. These

Over the past 15 yr, numerical models of convection in Earth's mantle have made a leap forward: they can now produce self-consistent plate-like behaviour at the surface together with deep mantle circulation. These digital tools provide a new window into the intimate connections between plate tectonics and mantle dynamics, and can therefore be used for tectonic predictions, in principle. This contribution explores this assumption. First, initial conditions at 30, 20, 10 and 0 Ma are generated by driving a convective flow with imposed plate velocities at the surface. We then compute instantaneous mantle flows in response to the guessed temperature fields without imposing any boundary conditions. Plate boundaries self-consistently emerge at correct locations with respect to reconstructions, except for small plates close to subduction zones. As already observed for other types of instantaneous flow calculations, the structure of the top boundary layer and upper-mantle slab is the dominant character that leads to accurate predictions of surface velocities. Perturbations of the rheological parameters have little impact on the resulting surface velocities. We then compute fully dynamic model evolution from 30 and 10 to 0 Ma, without imposing plate boundaries or plate velocities. Contrary to instantaneous calculations, errors in kinematic predictions are substantial, although the plate layout and kinematics in several areas remain consistent with the expectations for the Earth. For these calculations, varying the rheological parameters makes a difference for plate boundary evolution. Also, identified errors in initial conditions contribute to first-order kinematic errors. This experiment shows that the tectonic predictions of dynamic models over 10 My are highly sensitive to uncertainties of rheological parameters and initial temperature field in comparison to instantaneous flow calculations. Indeed, the initial conditions and the rheological parameters can be good enough

Approximately 30% of patients with rectal cancer present with metastatic disease. Many of these patients have symptoms of bleeding or obstruction. Several treatment options are available to deal with the various complications that may afflict these patients. Endorectal stenting, laser ablation, and operative resection are a few of the options available to the patient with a malignant large bowel obstruction. A thorough understanding of treatment options will ensure the patient is offered the most effective therapy with the least amount of associated morbidity. In this review, we describe various options for palliation of symptoms in patients with metastatic rectal cancer. Additionally, we briefly discuss treatment for asymptomatic patients with metastatic disease. PMID:21412493

Geothermobarometry of primarily garnet lherzolitic xenoliths from several localities in southern West Greenland is applied to address the diamond potential, pressure and temperature distribution and the stratigraphy of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle ~600 Ma ago. The samples are from...... kimberlitic and ultramafic lamprophyre (senso lato) dikes and sills emplaced into three tectonically distinct crustal areas in the North Atlantic Craton. Several geothermobarometry formulations have been applied and a thorough assessment of which P-T combinations are most applicable to this sample suite has...... and the Kirkland Lake locality within the Superior craton. In supporting previous studies we find that the continental lithospheric mantle is layered and increases in fertility with depth. Twenty-five of 32 investigated samples are estimated to be derived from the diamond stability field that extends...

Two cross-sections of the western Mediterranean Neogene-to-present backarc basin are presented, in which geological and geophysical data of the Transmed project are tied to a new shear-wave tomography. Major results are i) the presence of a well stratified upper mantle beneath the older African continent, with a marked low-velocity layer between 130-200 km of depth; ii) the dilution of this layer within the younger western Mediterranean backarc basin to the north, and iii) the easterly raising of a shallower low-velocity layer from about 140 km to about 30 km in the Tyrrhenian active part of the backarc basin. These findings suggest upper mantle circulation in the western Mediterranean backarc basin, mostly easterly-directed and affecting the boundary between upper asthenosphere (LVZ) and lower asthenosphere, which undulates between about 180 km and 280 km. (author)

Geochemical investigation of Martian meteorites (SNC meteorites) yields important constraints on the chemical and geodynamical evolution of Mars. These samples may not be representative of the whole of Mars; however they provide constraints on the early differentiation processes on Mars. The bulk composition of Martian samples implies the presence of a metallic core that formed concurrently as the planet accreted. The strong depletion of highly siderophile elements in the Martian mantle is on...

Ovarian cancer is the most common cause of gynecological cancer death in United States women. Efforts to improve progression free survival (PFS) and quality of life (QoL) after treatment for ovarian cancer are necessary. Observational studies suggest that lifestyle behaviors, including diet and physical activity, are associated with lower mortality in this population. The Lifestyle Intervention for Ovarian Cancer Enhanced Survival (LIVES) NRG 0225 study is a randomized, controlled trial designed to test the hypothesis that a 24 month lifestyle intervention will significantly increase PFS after oncological therapy for stage II-IV ovarian cancer. Women are randomized 1:1 to a high vegetable and fiber, low-fat diet with daily physical activity goals or an attention control group. Secondary outcomes to be evaluated include QoL and gastrointestinal health. Moreover an a priori lifestyle adherence score will be used to evaluate relationships between adoption of the diet and activity goals and PFS. Blood specimens are collected at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months for analysis of dietary adherence (carotenoids) in addition to mechanistic biomarkers (lipids, insulin, telomere length). Women are enrolled at NRG clinic sites nationally and the telephone based lifestyle intervention is delivered from The University of Arizona call center by trained health coaches. A study specific multi-modal telephone, email, and SMS behavior change software platform is utilized for information delivery, coaching and data capture. When completed, LIVES will be the largest behavior-based lifestyle intervention trial conducted among ovarian cancer survivors. PMID:27394382

Hydrogen (or water) in the Earth's interior plays a key role in the evolution and dynamics of the planet. However, the abundance and the existence form of the hydrogen have scarcely been clear in practice. Hydrogen in the mantle was incorporated in the interior during the formation of the Earth. The incorporated hydrogen was hardly possible to concentrate locally inside the Earth considering its high mobility and high reactivity. The hydrogen, preferably, could be distributed homogeneously over the mantle and the core by the subsequent physical and chemical processes. Therefore, hydrogen in the mantle could be present in the form of trace hydrogen in nominally anhydrous mantle minerals. The hydrogen and the other trace elements in mantle olivines, orthopyroxenes, clinopyroxenes, and garnets were determined using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) for elucidating (1) the exact hydrogen contents, (2) the correlation between the hydrogen and the other trace elements, (3) the dependence of the hydrogen contents on the depth, and (4) the dependence of the whole rock water contents on the depth.

Convection in an isolated planet is characterized by narrow downwellings and broad updrafts-consequences of Archimedes' principle, the cooling required by the second law of thermodynamics, and the effect of compression on material properties. A mature cooling planet with a conductive low-viscosity core develops a thick insulating surface boundary layer with a thermal maximum, a subadiabatic interior, and a cooling highly conductive but thin boundary layer above the core. Parts of the surface layer sink into the interior, displacing older, colder material, which is entrained by spreading ridges. Magma characteristics of intraplate volcanoes are derived from within the upper boundary layer. Upper mantle features revealed by seismic tomography and that are apparently related to surface volcanoes are intrinsically broad and are not due to unresolved narrow jets. Their morphology, aspect ratio, inferred ascent rate, and temperature show that they are passively responding to downward fluxes, as appropriate for a cooling planet that is losing more heat through its surface than is being provided from its core or from radioactive heating. Response to doward flux is the inverse of the heat-pipe/mantle-plume mode of planetary cooling. Shear-driven melt extraction from the surface boundary layer explains volcanic provinces such as Yellowstone, Hawaii, and Samoa. Passive upwellings from deeper in the upper mantle feed ridges and near-ridge hotspots, and others interact with the sheared and metasomatized surface layer. Normal plate tectonic processes are responsible both for plate boundary and intraplate swells and volcanism.

Convection in an isolated planet is characterized by narrow downwellings and broad updrafts--consequences of Archimedes' principle, the cooling required by the second law of thermodynamics, and the effect of compression on material properties. A mature cooling planet with a conductive low-viscosity core develops a thick insulating surface boundary layer with a thermal maximum, a subadiabatic interior, and a cooling highly conductive but thin boundary layer above the core. Parts of the surface layer sink into the interior, displacing older, colder material, which is entrained by spreading ridges. Magma characteristics of intraplate volcanoes are derived from within the upper boundary layer. Upper mantle features revealed by seismic tomography and that are apparently related to surface volcanoes are intrinsically broad and are not due to unresolved narrow jets. Their morphology, aspect ratio, inferred ascent rate, and temperature show that they are passively responding to downward fluxes, as appropriate for a cooling planet that is losing more heat through its surface than is being provided from its core or from radioactive heating. Response to doward flux is the inverse of the heat-pipe/mantle-plume mode of planetary cooling. Shear-driven melt extraction from the surface boundary layer explains volcanic provinces such as Yellowstone, Hawaii, and Samoa. Passive upwellings from deeper in the upper mantle feed ridges and near-ridge hotspots, and others interact with the sheared and metasomatized surface layer. Normal plate tectonic processes are responsible both for plate boundary and intraplate swells and volcanism.

Previous decompression experiments have shown that super-Si garnet decomposes to normal garnet + pyroxene, which supports that natural analogues (found in mantle xenoliths, diamond inclusions, peridotite massifs) record up to several hundreds of kilometre exhumation, all proposed to apply to contrasting geological scenarios including mantle convection, kimberlite magmatism and plate tectonics. To verify this proposition we used glass powder with a 'pyrolite minus olivine' composition for polycrystalline dry super-Si garnet synthesis (18 GPa, 1600 °C, 2 1/3 h) and subsequent decompression (10 GPa, 1450 °C, 0-12 h). All samples recovered after decompression share a coronitic texture of new grains of garnet + pyroxene that surround relic super-Si garnet. Quantified XRD spectra show transformed volumes are similar, ~40 %, that mark a rapid decrease of the transformation rate within the first minutes of the decompression runs. Fitted kinetic data does not fulfil conditions for steady nucleation and growth. The Tschermak's component of corona clinopyroxene is four times higher than that of equilibrium clinopyroxene synthesised along with each decompression experiment. Element concentration profiles (TEM EDS) and element mapping (FE-SEM EDS) across the corona microstructure show steep but discontinuous Al concentration gradients at both relic and corona garnet grain margins. Transformation rate and mineral chemistry suggest that volume diffusion (1) exceeds decompression induced initial partial breakdown of super-Si garnet and (2) will be rate limiting for exsolution to reach equilibrium. Modelled Si-Al and Si-Al-Mg interdiffusion in garnet at different water contents in combination with geological cooling rates suggests that diffusion distances exceed metamorphic garnet grain sizes of ≤1 cm within the amphibolit facies, unless dry conditions apply. In contrast, mantle garnet of 1-2 cm in size may allow for up to two types of pyroxene precipitiation, depending on the

Full Text Available The title compound, [SnBr4(H2O2]·3H2O, forms large colourless crystals in originally sealed samples of tin tetrabromide. It constitutes the first structurally characterized hydrate of SnBr4 and is isostructural with the corresponding hydrate of SnCl4. It is composed of SnIV atoms octahedrally coordinated by four Br atoms and two cis-related water molecules. The octahedra exhibit site symmetry 2. They are arranged into columns along [001] via medium–strong O—H...O hydrogen bonds involving the two lattice water molecules (one situated on a twofold rotation axis while the chains are interconnected via longer O—H...Br hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network.

Self-consistent geodynamic modeling that includes melting is challenging as the chemistry of the source rocks continuously changes as a result of melt extraction. Here, we describe a new method to study the interaction between physical and chemical processes in an uprising heterogeneous mantle plume by combining a geodynamic code with a thermodynamic modeling approach for magma generation and evolution. We pre-computed hundreds of phase diagrams, each of them for a different chemical system. After melt is extracted, the phase diagram with the closest bulk rock chemistry to the depleted source rock is updated locally. The petrological evolution of rocks is tracked via evolving chemical compositions of source rocks and extracted melts using twelve oxide compositional parameters. As a result, a wide variety of newly generated magmatic rocks can in principle be produced from mantle rocks with different degrees of depletion. The results show that a variable geothermal gradient, the amount of extracted melt and plume excess temperature affect the magma production and chemistry by influencing decompression melting and the depletion of rocks. Decompression melting is facilitated by a shallower lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary and an increase in the amount of extracted magma is induced by a lower critical melt fraction for melt extraction and/or higher plume temperatures. Increasing critical melt fractions activates the extraction of melts triggered by decompression at a later stage and slows down the depletion process from the metasomatized mantle. Melt compositional trends are used to determine melting related processes by focusing on K2O/Na2O ratio as indicator for the rock type that has been molten. Thus, a step-like-profile in K2O/Na2O might be explained by a transition between melting metasomatized and pyrolitic mantle components reproducible through numerical modeling of a heterogeneous asthenospheric mantle source. A potential application of the developed method

A method is described of cycling gases through a plurality of diffusion stages comprising the steps of admitting the diffused gases from a first diffusion stage into an axial compressor, simultaneously admitting the undiffused gases from a second diffusion stage into an intermediate pressure zone of said compressor corresponding in pressure to the pressure of said undiffused gases, and then admitting the resulting compressed mixture of diffused and undiffused gases into a third diffusion stage

The mineralogy of the oceanic basalt source region is examined by testing whether a peridotite mineralogy can yield observed whole-rock and olivine compositions from (1) the Hawaiian Islands, our type example of a mantle plume, and (2) the Siqueiros Transform, which provides primitive samples of normal mid-ocean ridge basalt. New olivine compositional data from phase 2 of the Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project (HSDP2) show that higher Ni-in-olivine at the Hawaiian Islands is due to higher temperatures (T) of melt generation and processing (by c. 300°C) related to the Hawaiian mantle plume. DNi is low at high T, so parental Hawaiian basalts are enriched in NiO. When Hawaiian (picritic) parental magmas are transported to shallow depths, olivine precipitation occurs at lower temperatures, where DNi is high, leading to high Ni-in-olivine. Similarly, variations in Mn and Fe/Mn ratios in olivines are explained by contrasts in the temperatures of magma processing. Using the most mafic rocks to delimit Siqueiros and Hawaiian Co and Ni contents in parental magmas and mantle source compositions also shows that both suites can be derived from natural peridotites, but are inconsistent with partial melting of natural pyroxenites. Whole-rock compositions at Hawaii and Siqueiros are also matched by partial melting experiments conducted on peridotite bulk compositions. Hawaiian whole-rocks have elevated FeO contents compared with Siqueiros, which can be explained if Hawaiian parental magmas are generated from peridotite at 4-5 GPa, in contrast to pressures of slightly greater than 1 GPa for melt generation at Siqueiros; these pressures are consistent with olivine thermometry, as described in an earlier paper. SiO2-enriched Koolau compositions are reproduced if high-Fe Hawaiian parental magmas re-equilibrate at 1-1·5 GPa. Peridotite partial melts from experimental studies also reproduce the CaO and Al2O3 contents of Hawaiian (and Siqueiros) whole-rocks. Hawaiian magmas have TiO2

The mineral composition of mantle xenoliths from kamafugites of the Bunyaruguru volcanic field has been determined. The major and some trace elements (Si, Ti, Al, Fe, Mn, Mg, Ca, Na, K, Cr, Ni, Ba, Sr, La, Ce, Nd, Nb) has been analyzed in olivine, clinopyroxene, phlogopite, Cr-spinel, titanomagnetite, perovskite and carbonates of xenoliths and their host lavas. Bunyaruguru is one of three (Katwe-Kikorongo, Fort Portal and Bunyaruguru) volcanic fields included in the Toro-Ankole province located on the North end of the West Branch of the East African Rift. The xenoliths from three craters within the Bunyaruguru volcanic field revealed the different character of metasomatic alteration, reflecting the heterogeneity of the mantle on the kilometer scale. The most unusual finding was composite glimmerite-wehrlite xenolith from the crater Kazimiro, which contains the fresh primary high-Mg olivine with inclusions of Cr-spinel that had not been previously identified in this area. The different composition of phenocryst and xenolith minerals indicates that the studied xenoliths are not сumulus of enclosing magma, but the composition of xenoliths characterizes the lithology of the upper mantle of the area. The carbonate melt inclusions in olivine Fo90 demonstrate the existence of primary carbonatitic magmas in Bunyaruguru upper mantle. The results of texture and chemical investigation of the xenolith minerals indicate the time sequence of metasomatic alteration of Bunyaruguru upper mantle: MARID metasomatism at the first stage followed by carbonate metasomatism. The abundances of REE in perovskites from kamafugite are 2-4 times higher than similar values for xenolith. Therefore the kamafugite magma was been generated from a more enriched mantle source than the source of the xenoliths. The evaluation of P-T conditions formation of clinopyroxene xenolith revealed the range of pressure 20-65 kbar and the temperatures range 830-1040 °C. The pressure of clinopyroxene phenocryst

Carbonate melts are thought to be ideal metasomatic agents in the deep upper mantle (Green & Wallace, 1988) and these melts are low in viscosities (10-1-10-3 Pa·s) compared to primitive basalt (101-102 Pa·s), furthermore the ability to form an interconnected grain-edge melt network at low melt fractions (3 GPa (Dasgupta et al. 2006, Ghosh et al., 2009), dissolve a number of geochemically incompatible elements much better than silicate melts (Blundy and Dalton, 2000). Previous studies of carbonate melt dihedral angles in olivine-dominated matrices yielded 25-30oat 1-3 GPa, relatively independent of melt composition (Watson et al., 1990) and temperature (Hunter and McKenzie, 1989). Dihedral angles of carbonate melts in contact with deep mantle silicate phases (e.g. garnet, wadsleyite, and ringwoodite) which constitute more than 70 % of the deep upper mantle and transition zone have not been studied yet. We have performed multi-anvil experiments on carbonate-bearing peridotites with 5.0 wt% CO2 from 13.5 to 20 GPa 1550 oC to investigate the dihedral angle of magnesio-carbonatite melts in equilibrium with garnet, olivine (and its high-pressure polymorphs), and clinoenstatite. The dihedral angle of carbonate melts in the deep upper mantle and transition zone is ~30° for majorite garnet and olivine (and its polymorphs) dominated matrices. It does not change with increasing pressure in the range 13.5-20 GPa. Our results suggest that very low melt fractions of carbonatite melt forming in the deep upper mantle and transition zone are interconnected at melt fractions less than 0.01. Consistent with geophysical observations, this could possibly explain low velocity regions in the deep mantle and transition zone.

Background. There is great uncertainty about the internal structure of Mercury and the composition of the mantle [e.g., 1, 2]. The high mean density of the body suggests that it may have lost parts of its crust and mantle in a giant impact at some stage after most of its initial accretion was sufficiently complete that at least partial separation of a core had occurred. It is the uncertainty about the timing of the giant impact, and hence the physico-chemical state of proto-Mercury at the time that it occurred, that leads to difficulties in predicting the interior structure and mantle composition. However, it seems reasonable to assume that the Mercury we see today has some combination of a relatively low-density crust and a relatively highdensity mantle; uncertainty remains about the presence and types of volatiles [2]. The second uncertainty is the nature of the surface plains units, specifically, are these lava flows and pyroclastics erupted from the interior, or impact-reworked earlier crust [3-5] (Figs. 1-2)? The detection of candidate pyroclastic deposits [4] has very important implications for mantle volatiles. Furthermore, whatever the surface composition, the presence of planet-wide systems of wrinkle ridges and thrust faults implies that a compressive crustal stress regime became dominant at some stage in the planet's history [3, 6]. If the plains units are indeed lava flows, then the fact that the products of the compressive regime deform many plains units suggests that the development of the compressive stresses may have played a vital role in determining when and if surface eruptions of mantle-derived magmas could occur. This would be analogous to the way in which the change with time from extensional to compressive global stresses in the lithosphere of the Moon influenced the viability of erupting magmas from deep mantle sources [7-9]. Analysis: To investigate the relationship between lithospheric stresses and magma eruption conditions [e.g., 9-11] we

Hotspot volcanism in locations such as Hawaii and Iceland is commonly thought to be associated with plumes rising from the deep mantle. In theory these dynamic upwellings should be visible in seismic data due to their reduced seismic velocity and their effect on mantle transition zone thickness. Numerous studies have attempted to image plumes [1,2,3], but their deep mantle origin remains unclear. In addition, a debate continues as to whether lower mantle plumes are visible in the form of body wave travel time delays, or whether such delays will be erased due to wavefront healing. Here we combine geodynamic modeling of mantle plumes with synthetic seismic waveform modeling in order to quantitatively determine under what conditions mantle plumes should be seismically visible. We model compressible plumes with phase changes at 410 km and 670 km, and a viscosity reduction in the upper mantle. These plumes thin from greater than 600 km in diameter in the lower mantle, to 200 - 400 km in the upper mantle. Plume excess potential temperature is 375 K, which maps to seismic velocity reductions of 4 - 12 % in the upper mantle, and 2 - 4 % in the lower mantle. Previous work that was limited to an axisymmetric spherical geometry suggested that these plumes would not be visible in the lower mantle [4]. Here we extend this approach to full 3D spherical wave propagation modeling. Initial results using a simplified cylindrical plume conduit suggest that mantle plumes with a diameter of 1000 km or greater will retain a deep mantle seismic signature. References[1] Wolfe, Cecily J., et al. "Seismic structure of the Iceland mantle plume." Nature 385.6613 (1997): 245-247. [2] Montelli, Raffaella, et al. "Finite-frequency tomography reveals a variety of plumes in the mantle." Science 303.5656 (2004): 338-343. [3] Schmandt, Brandon, et al. "Hot mantle upwelling across the 660 beneath Yellowstone." Earth and Planetary Science Letters 331 (2012): 224-236. [4] Hwang, Yong Keun, et al

The noble gas isotopes recorded in Ocean Island Basalts (OIB) and Mid Ocean Ridge Basalts (MORB) combined with an estimate of ^3He concentration in the upper mantle have played a defining role in the development of models describing the geochemical evolution of the mantle. The three most cited noble gas constraints on a layered mantle system are the Heat/He discrepancy, 40Ar mass balance, and low ^3He concentration (relative to U+Th) in the upper mantle. These are all equally dependant on the validity of integrating the mantle ^3He flux into the oceans (t_frac{1}{2} ˜ 10^3 years) with the record of ocean floor generation (t_frac{1}{2} ˜ 5x10^6 years) to obtain the mantle ^3He concentration. A ^3He concentration 3.5 times higher in the mantle than currently accepted removes these noble gas constraints. A deep reservoir would then no longer be required to: i) trap ^4He produced by U+Th decay but let the associated heat escape; ii) provide a reservoir for the 'missing' 40Ar generated by K decay; and iii) provide a flux of ^3He to balance the ^3He/^4He ratio and U+Th content of the upper mantle. Numerical models simulating whole mantle convection show that natural fluctuations in the Heat/He ratio due to different extraction methods can accommodate the difference between predicted and observed values, while these same models illustrate that the efficiency of mantle 40Ar degassing is low enough to account for the 'missing' 40Ar within the context of whole mantle convection. The simple observation that ^3He/^4He ratios in OIB are higher than MORB nevertheless demands that there is a high ^3He reservoir in the mantle and that the model 'zero paradox' concentration remains the upper limit reference value. While higher upper mantle ^3He concentrations remove the need for a layer at the 670km boundary, mantle models satisfying the noble gases must still provide a system that separates radiogenic Heat from Helium production, preserves a region of the mantle with higher 40Ar

The role played by ancient melt-depleted lithospheric mantle in preserving continental crust through time is critical in understanding how continents are built, disrupted and recycled. While it has become clear that much of the extant Archean crust is underpinned by Archean mantle roots, reports of Proterozoic melt depletion ages for peridotites erupted through Phanerozoic terranes raise the possibility that ancient buoyant lithospheric mantle acts as a "life-raft" for much of the Earth's continental crust. Here we report the largest crust-lithospheric mantle age decoupling (∼2.4 Ga) so far observed on Earth and examine the potential cause for such extreme age decoupling. The Phanerozoic (Zealandia continent explains the decoupled age relationship that we observe today. Hence, the newly formed lithospheric root incorporates a mixture of ancient and modern mantle derived from the convecting mantle, cooled and accreted in recent times. We argue that in this case, the ancient components played no earlier role in continent stabilization, but their highly depleted nature along with that of their younger counterparts now represents a highly viscous, stable continental keel. This model could account for the large spectrum of ages observed in fertile to moderately depleted peridotites sampled from lithospheric mantle beneath SE Australia, W Antarctica and other locations in Zealandia, as well as the oceanic mantle. Our data confirm the longevity and dispersal of ancient depleted mantle domains in the convecting mantle and their re-appearance beneath young continents.

Hotspot volcanism has long been attributed to mantle plumes, but in recent years suggestions have been made that plate tectonic processes, such as extension, can account for all hotspot tracks. This explanation involves a profoundly less dynamic lower mantle, which justifies a critical evaluation before the plume model is dismissed. Such an evaluation has to involve a wide range of geochemical, geological, and geophysical techniques, broadly investigating the products of volcanism as well as the underlying lithosphere and mantle. We argue here that the combined geological record and geochemistry of intraplate volcanoes holds some important clues that help us decide between models of plume-like upwelling versus passive upwelling with lithospheric extension. The best of these integrated datasets can be obtained from the long seamount chains in the Pacific Ocean. A new combined dataset of trace element and isotopic compositions, along with modern 40Ar/39Ar ages from seamounts in the Gilbert Ridge, Tokelau chain, and West Pacific Seamount Province (WPSP) provides a record of current to Cretaceous volcanism in the South Pacific. We have reconstructed the eruptive locations of the seamounts using a range of absolute plate motion models, including some models with hotspot motion and others that use the Indo-Atlantic hotspot reference frame. Our results show that the backtracked locations consistently form clusters (300km radius) around the active ends of the Macdonald, Rurutu and Rarotonga hotspot chains, while closely matching their distinct C-HIMU and C-EM1 signatures. The oldest WPSP seamounts (older than 100 Ma) form the only exception and backtrack, with larger uncertainty, to north of Rarotonga. Therefore, the mantle currently underlying the Cook-Austral islands has produced volcanoes in three geochemically distinct areas for at least 100 m.y. Furthermore, we find the shortest mantle residence time, 0.6 Ga, for a source of mixed recycled DMM and an EM1-like

Since around 200 Ma, the most notable event in the process of the breakup of Pangea has been the high speed (up to 20 cm yr(-1)) of the northward drift of the Indian subcontinent. Our numerical simulations of 3-D spherical mantle convection approximately reproduced the process of continental drift from the breakup of Pangea at 200 Ma to the present-day continental distribution. These simulations revealed that a major factor in the northward drift of the Indian subcontinent was the large-scale cold mantle downwelling that developed spontaneously in the North Tethys Ocean, attributed to the overall shape of Pangea. The strong lateral mantle flow caused by the high-temperature anomaly beneath Pangea, due to the thermal insulation effect, enhanced the acceleration of the Indian subcontinent during the early stage of the Pangea breakup. The large-scale hot upwelling plumes from the lower mantle, initially located under Africa, might have contributed to the formation of the large-scale cold mantle downwelling in the North Tethys Ocean.

The oxygen fugacity of the mantle exerts a fundamental influence on mantle melting, volatile speciation, and the development of the atmosphere. However, its evolution through time is poorly understood. Changes in mantle oxidation state should be reflected in the Fe3+/Fe2+ of mantle minerals, and hence in stable iron isotope fractionation. Here it is shown that there are substantial (1.7 per mil) systematic variations in the iron isotope compositions (delta57/54Fe) of mantle spinels. Spinel delta57/54Fe values correlate with relative oxygen fugacity, Fe3+/sigmaFe, and chromium number, and provide a proxy of changes in mantle oxidation state, melting, and volatile recycling.

Eight decades ago, Arthur Holmes introducted the idea of mantle convection as a mechanism for continental drift. Five decades ago, continental drift was modified to become plate tectonics theory, which included mantle convection as an absolutely critical component. Using the submarine design and operation concept of "neutral buoyancy", which follows from Archimedes' discoveries, the concept of mantle convection is proven to be incorrect, concomitantly refuting plate tectonics, refuting all ma...

Full Text Available From a synthesis of data on volcanic evolution, movement of the lithosphere, and mantle velocities in the Baikal-Mongolian region, we propose a comprehensive model for deep dynamics of Asia that assumes an important role of the Gobi, Baikal, and North Transbaikal transition-layer melting anomalies. This layer was distorted by lower-mantle fluxes at the beginning of the latest geodynamic stage (i.e. in the early late Cretaceous due to avalanches of slab material that were stagnated beneath the closed fragments of the Solonker, Ural-Mongolian paleoceans and Mongol-Okhotsk Gulf of Paleo-Pacific. At the latest geodynamic stage, Asia was involved in east–southeast movement, and the Pacific plate moved in the opposite direction with subduction under Asia. The weakened upper mantle region of the Gobi melting anomaly provided a counterflow connected with rollback in the Japan Sea area. These dynamics resulted in the formation of the Honshu-Korea flexure of the Pacific slab. A similar weakened upper mantle region of the North Transbaikal melting anomaly was associated with the formation of the Hokkaido-Amur flexure of the Pacific slab, formed due to progressive pull-down of the slab material into the transition layer in the direction of the Pacific plate and Asia convergence. The early–middle Miocene structural reorganization of the mantle processes in Asia resulted in the development of upper mantle low-velocity domains associated with the development of rifts and orogens. We propose that extension at the Baikal Rift was caused by deviator flowing mantle material, initiated under the moving lithosphere in the Baikal melting anomaly. Contraction at the Hangay orogen was created by facilitation of the tectonic stress transfer from the Indo-Asian interaction zone due to the low-viscosity mantle in the Gobi melting anomaly.

The presence of water in lower mantle minerals is thought to have substantial effects on the rheological properties of the Earth's lower mantle in what is generally known as "hydrolytic weakening". This weakening will have profound effects on global convection, but hydrolytic weakening in lower mantle minerals has not been observed experimentally and thus the effect of water on global dynamics remains speculative. In order to constrain the likelihood of hydrolytic weakening being important in the lower mantle, we use first principles methods to calculate the partitioning of water (strictly protons) between mineral phases of the lower mantle under lower mantle conditions. We show that throughout the lower mantle water is primarily found either in the minor Ca-perovskite phase or in bridgmanite as an Al3+-H+ pair. Ferropericlase remains dry. However, neither of these methods of water absorption creates additional vacancies in bridgmanite and thus the effect of hydrolytic weakening is likely to be small. We find that water creates significant number of vacancies in bridgmanite only at the deepest part of the lower mantle and only for very high water contents (>1000 ppm). We conclude that water is thus likely to have only a limited effect on the rheological properties of the lower mantle.

form mantle fluids which finally flew into crust through deep extensional tectonic activities (or intrusion of mafic dike magmas). During moving up process, the mantle fluids which were enriched in alkali and ΣCO 2 interacted with the crustal rocks (especially uranium-rich rocks), resulting in alkaline alteration of crustal rocks and mobilizing uranium and other metals in the rocks. As a result, the mantle-derived fluids gradually became uranium-rich fluids. Deposition of pitchblende during late evolution stages of the mantle fluids was related with following factors: 1) mixing of the ore-forming fluids with fluids of meteoric-water origin so as to change the physicochemical conditions of the fluids, 2) boiling of the fluids when they entering low pressure environment and thus escaping of CO 2 to lead to decomposition of the uranyl-carbonate ions in the fluids, 3) interaction between uranyl-ion bearing fluids and reducer bearing mafic dikes.. (authors)

because they are hard to use and interpret, and tools for age and stage structured populations are missing. We present easily interpretable expressions for the sensitivities and elasticities of life expectancy to vital rates in age-stage models, and illustrate their application with two biological......Interest in stage-and age structured models has recently increased because they can describe quantitative traits such as size that are left out of age-only demography. Available methods for the analysis of effects of vital rates on lifespan in stage-structured models have not been widely applied...... examples. Much of our approach relies on trading of time and mortality risk in one stage for time and risk in others. Our approach contributes to the new framework of the study of age- and stage-structured biodemography....

This chapter describes a quantitative approach that integrates data and results from mineral physics, petrological analyses, and geophysical inverse calculations to map geophysical data directly for mantle composition and thermal state. Seismic tomography has proved an important tool to image...... seismic data. There is a growing consensus that the cause of the imaged wavespeed anomalies not only relates to variations in temperature, but also bears a strong compositional component. However, separation of thermal and chemical effects from seismic wave speeds alone is difficult and is further...

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare and aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. New treatment modalities, including intensive induction regimens with immunochemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant, have improved survival. However, many patients still relapse, and there is a need...... for novel therapeutic strategies. Recent progress has been made in the understanding of the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in MCL. Comparisons of tumor samples from patients with MCL with their normal counterparts (naive B-cells) have identified differentially expressed miRNAs with roles in cellular growth...

We investigate structure of the mantle transition zone (MTZ) under the central Tien Shan in central Asia by using recordings of seismograph stations in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and adjacent northern China. We apply P-wave receiver functions techniques and evaluate the differential time between the arrivals of seismic phases that are formed by P to SV mode conversion at the 410-km and 660-km seismic boundaries. The differential time is sensitive to the thickness of the MTZ and insensitive to volumetric velocity anomalies above the 410-km boundary. Under part of the southern central Tien Shan with the lowest S wave velocity in the uppermost mantle and the largest thickness of the crust, the thickness of the MTZ increases by 15-20 km relative to the ambient mantle and the reference model IASP91. The increased thickness is a likely effect of low (about - 150 K) temperature. This anomaly is indicative of delamination and sinking of the mantle lithosphere. The low temperature in the MTZ might also be a relic of subduction of the oceanic lithosphere in the Paleozoic, but this scenario requires strong coupling and coherence between structures in the MTZ and in the lithosphere during plate motions in the last 300 Myr. Our data reveal a reduction of thickness of the MTZ of 10-15 km under the Fergana basin, in the neighborhood of the region of small-scale basaltic volcanism at the time near the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. The reduced thickness of the MTZ is the effect of a depressed 410-km discontinuity, similar to that found in many hotspots. This depression suggests a positive temperature anomaly of about 100-150 K, consistent with the presence of a thermal mantle plume. A similar depression on the 410-km discontinuity is found underneath the Tarim basin.

The current study was conducted to analyze the long-term results of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in patients with diffuse mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in first disease remission. Thirty-three patients were treated. Thirty-one patients had Ann Arbor Stage III or StageIV disease. The hyper-CVAD regimen (hyperfractionated intense-dose cyclophosphamide, vincristine, continuous intravenous infusion of doxorubicin, and dexamethasone, alternating with high doses of cytarabine and methotrexate plus leucovorin rescue) was used for cytoreduction before ASCT. Patients were consolidated with high-dose cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg), total body irradiation, and ASCT. At a median follow-up of 49 months, the overall survival and disease-free-survival rates at 5 years were estimated to be 77% and 43%, respectively. Patients whose M. D. Anderson Lymphoma Tumor Score (TS) was 1 (P = 0.02). A beta2-microglobulin (beta2m)level 3 mg/L) (P = 0.0001). ASCT may prolong the overall survival in a subset of patients with MCL. This improvement has been observed for the most part in patients with low beta2m levels (< or = 3 mg/L) and TS (< or = 1). Randomized trials are required to fully assess the benefits of this strategy. Copyright 2003 American Cancer Society.

Electromagnetic exploration is a geophysical method for examining the Earth's interior through observations of natural or artificial electromagnetic field fluctuations. The method has been in practice for more than 70 years, and 40 years ago it was first applied to ocean areas. During the past few decades, there has been noticeable progress in the methods of instrumentation, data acquisition (observation), data processing and inversion. Due to this progress, applications of this method to oceanic regions have revealed electrical features of the oceanic upper mantle down to depths of several hundred kilometers for different geologic and tectonic environments such as areas around mid-oceanic ridges, areas around hot-spot volcanoes, subduction zones, and normal ocean areas between mid-oceanic ridges and subduction zones. All these results estimate the distribution of the electrical conductivity in the oceanic mantle, which is key for understanding the dynamics and evolution of the Earth together with different physical properties obtained through other geophysical methods such as seismological techniques.

The discovery of oceanic black (and white) smokers revolutionized our understanding of mid-ocean ridges and led to the recognition of new organisms and ecosystems. Continental smokers, defined here to include a broad range of carbonic springs, hot springs, and fumaroles that vent mantle-derived fluids in continental settings, exhibit many of the same processes of heat and mass transfer and ecosystem niche differentiation. Helium isotope (3He/4He) analyses indicate that widespread mantle degassing is taking place in the western U.S.A., and that variations in mantle helium values correlate best with low seismic-velocity domains in the mantle and lateral contrasts in mantle velocity rather than crustal parameters such as GPS, proximity to volcanoes, crustal velocity, or composition. Microbial community analyses indicate that these springs can host novel microorganisms. A targeted analysis of four springs in New Mexico yield the first published occurrence of chemolithoautotrophic Zetaproteobacteria in a continental setting. These observations lead to two linked hypotheses: that mantle-derived volatiles transit through conduits in extending continental lithosphere preferentially above and at the edges of mantle low velocity domains. High CO2 and other constituents ultimately derived from mantle volatiles drive water-rock interactions and heterogeneous fluid mixing that help structure diverse and distinctive microbial communities.

The relative density-to-shear velocity scaling (ζ) provides a diagnostic for the presence of compositional variations in the mantle. We invert shear-wave velocity from a recent 3-D model and gravity anomalies for radial profiles of ζ of the uppermost mantle beneath Australia. We performed

The relative density-to-shear velocity scaling (¿) provides a diagnostic for the presence of compositional variations in the mantle. We invert shear-wave velocity from a recent 3-D model and gravity anomalies for radial profiles of ¿ of the uppermost mantle beneath Australia. We performed

High-precision Hf isotopic analyses and U-Pb ages of carbonatites and kimberlites from Greenland and eastern North America, including Earth's oldest known carbonatite (3 Ga), indicate derivation from an enriched mantle source. This previously unidentified mantle reservoir-marked by an unradiogenic...

The experiments arte simulated and validated by using CFD tool ANSYS-CFX and a good agreement is obtained between experiments and simulations. The objective of this paper is to investigate the influence of location of hot fluid inlet, mass flow rate of mantle fluid and type of hot fluid on the performance of the mantle ...

Full Text Available Abstract Background To describe a rare manifestation of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL in conjunctiva, with clinical, hisologic, immunohistologic and genetic findings together with review of the Literature. Case presentation Most ocular adnexal lymphomas are extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT. A few cases of ocular adnexal mantle cell lymphomas have been reported in the literature. We present a case of mantle cell lymphoma presenting as right conjunctival mass of at least three months duration in a 64-year-old man. Histopathologic examination showed a proliferation of monomorphous small-to-medium-sized lymphoid cells with cleaved nuclei in the subconjunctiva. By immunohistochemistry, the infiltrate was positive for CD20, CD5, BCL-2, cyclin D1, and the transcription factor SOX11. Fluorescent in situ hybridization demonstrated the presence of IGH-CCND1 fusion indicating t(11;14. Conclusion A rigorous approach to initial diagnosis and staging of small cell lymphomas of the ocular adnexa is needed. The recognition of ocular MCL requires appropriate immunohistochemical staining and/or genetic confirmation to differentiate this rare form of presentation of MCL from other more frequent small cell lymphomas.

This updated, classic work on the RPG language covers all the new functions and features that have been added since 2003, including new op codes and built-in functions, new chapters on free-format RPG IV and Web programming interfaces, information on implementing XML within RPG IV, and expanded information on procedures. This reference guide takes both novice and experienced RPG IV programmers through the language, from its foundation to its most advanced techniques. More than 100 charts and tables, as well as 350 real-life code samples of functions and operations are included, showing readers

The fluorine (F) and chlorine (Cl) contents of arc magmas have been used to track the composition of subducted components, and the F and Cl contents of MORB have been used to estimate the halogen content of depleted MORB mantle (DMM). Yet, the F and Cl budget of the Earth's upper mantle and their distribution in peridotite minerals remain to be constrained. Here, we developed a method to measure low concentrations of halogens (≥0.4 µg/g F and ≥0.3 µg/g Cl) in minerals by secondary ion mass spectroscopy. We present a comprehensive study of F and Cl in co-existing natural olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and amphibole in seventeen samples from different tectonic settings. We support the hypothesis that F in olivine is controlled by melt polymerization, and that F in pyroxene is controlled by their Na and Al contents, with some effect of melt polymerization. We infer that Cl compatibility ranks as follows: amphibole > clinopyroxene > olivine orthopyroxene, while F compatibility ranks as follows: amphibole > clinopyroxene > orthopyroxene ≥ olivine, depending on the tectonic context. In addition, we show that F, Cl, Be and B are correlated in pyroxenes and amphibole. F and Cl variations suggest that interaction with slab melts and fluids can significantly alter the halogen content of mantle minerals. In particular, F in oceanic peridotites is mostly hosted in pyroxenes, and proportionally increases in olivine in subduction-related peridotites. The mantle wedge is likely enriched in F compared to un-metasomatized mantle, while Cl is always low (<1 µg/g) in all tectonic settings studied here. The bulk anhydrous peridotite mantle contains 1.4-31 µg/g F and 0.14-0.38 µg/g Cl. The bulk F content of oceanic-like peridotites (2.1-9.4 µg/g) is lower than DMM estimates, consistent with F-rich eclogite in the source of MORB. Furthermore, the bulk Cl budget of all anhydrous peridotites studied here is lower than previous DMM estimates. Our results indicate that

Geochemically-depleted shergottites are basaltic rocks derived from a martian mantle source reservoir. Geochemical evolution of the martian mantle has been investigated mainly based on the Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, and Lu-Hf isotope systematics of the shergottites [1]. Although potentially informative, U-Th- Pb isotope systematics have been limited because of difficulties in interpreting the analyses of depleted meteorite samples that are more susceptible to the effects of near-surface processes and terrestrial contamination. This study conducts a 5-step sequential acid leaching experiment of the first witnessed fall of the geochemically-depleted olivinephyric shergottite Tissint to minimize the effect of low temperature distrubence. Trace element analyses of the Tissint acid residue (mostly pyroxene) indicate that Pb isotope compositions of the residue do not contain either a martian surface or terrestrial component, but represent the Tissint magma source [2]. The residue has relatively unradiogenic initial Pb isotopic compositions (e.g., 206Pb/204Pb = 10.8136) that fall within the Pb isotope space of other geochemically-depleted shergottites. An initial µ-value (238U/204Pb = 1.5) of Tissint at the time of crystallization (472 Ma [3]) is similar to a time-integrated mu- value (1.72 at 472 Ma) of the Tissint source mantle calculated based on the two-stagemantle evolution model [1]. On the other hand, the other geochemically-depleted shergottites (e.g., QUE 94201 [4]) have initial µ-values of their parental magmas distinctly lower than those of their modeled source mantle. These results suggest that only Tissint potentially reflects the geochemical signature of the shergottite mantle source that originated from cumulates of the martian magma ocean

The water content of the martian mantle is controversial. In particular, the role of water in the petrogenesis of the shergottites has been much debated. Although the shergottites, collectively, contain very little water [e.g., 1,2], some experiments have been interpreted to show that percent levels of water are required for the petrogenesis of shergottites such as Shergotty and Zagami [3]. In this latter interpretation, the general paucity of water in the shergottites and their constituent minerals is attributed to late-stage degassing. Y980459 (Y98) is a very primitive, perhaps even parental, martian basalt, with a one-bar liquidus temperature of approx.1400 C. Olivine is the liquidus phase, and olivine core compositions are in equilibrium with the bulk rock [e.g., 4]. Petrogenetically, therefore, Y98 has had a rather simple history and can potentially help constrain the role of water in martian igneous processes. In particular, once trapped, melt inclusions should not be affected by subsequent degassing.

We report double-spike molybdenum (Mo) isotope data for forty-two mafic and fifteen ultramafic rocks from diverse locations and compare these with results for five chondrites. The δ98/95Mo values (normalized to NIST SRM 3134) range from -0.59 ± 0.04 to +0.10 ± 0.08‰. The compositions of one carbonaceous (CI) and four ordinary chondrites are relatively uniform (-0.14 ± 0.01‰, 95% ci (confidence interval)) in excellent agreement with previous data. These values are just resolvable from the mean of 10 mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs) (0.00 ± 0.02‰, 95% ci). The compositions of 13 mantle-derived ultramafic xenoliths from Kilbourne Hole, Tariat and Vitim are more diverse (-0.39 to -0.07‰) with a mean of -0.22 ± 0.06‰ (95% ci). On this basis, the isotopic composition of the bulk silicate Earth (BSE or Primitive Mantle) is within error identical to chondrites. The mean Mo concentration of the ultramafic xenoliths (0.19 ± 0.07 ppm, 95% ci) is similar in magnitude to that of MORB (0.48 ± 0.13 ppm, 95% ci), providing evidence, either for a more compatible behaviour than previously thought or for selective Mo enrichment of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Intraplate and ocean island basalts (OIBs) display significant isotopic variability within a single locality from MORB-like to strongly negative (-0.59 ± 0.04‰). The most extreme values measured are for nephelinites from the Cameroon Line and Trinidade, which also have anomalously high Ce/Pb and low Mo/Ce relative to normal oceanic basalts. δ98/95Mo correlates negatively with Ce/Pb and U/Pb, and positively with Mo/Ce, explicable if a phase such as an oxide or a sulphide liquid selectively retains isotopically heavy Mo in the mantle and fractionates its isotopic composition in low degree partial melts. If residual phases retain Mo during partial melting, it is possible that the [Mo] for the BSE may be misrepresented by values estimated from basalts. This would be consistent with the high Mo

The role of mantle-lithosphere interactions in shaping surface topography has long been debated. In general, it is supposed that mantle plumes and vertical mantle flows result in axisymmetric, long-wavelength topography, which strongly differs from the generally asymmetric short-wavelength topography created by intraplate tectonic forces. However, identification of mantle-induced topography is difficult, especially in the continents. It can be argued therefore that complex brittle-ductile rheology and stratification of the continental lithosphere result in short-wavelength modulation and localization of deformation induced by mantle flow. This deformation should also be affected by far-field stresses and, hence, interplay with the 'tectonic' topography (for example, in the 'active/passive' rifting scenario). Testing these ideas requires fully coupled three-dimensional numerical modelling of mantle-lithosphere interactions, which so far has not been possible owing to the conceptual and technical limitations of earlier approaches. Here we present new, ultra-high-resolution, three-dimensional numerical experiments on topography over mantle plumes, incorporating a weakly pre-stressed (ultra-slow spreading), rheologically realistic lithosphere. The results show complex surface evolution, which is very different from the smooth, radially symmetric patterns usually assumed as the canonical surface signature of mantle upwellings. In particular, the topography exhibits strongly asymmetric, small-scale, three-dimensional features, which include narrow and wide rifts, flexural flank uplifts and fault structures. This suggests a dominant role for continental rheological structure and intra-plate stresses in controlling dynamic topography, mantle-lithosphere interactions, and continental break-up processes above mantle plumes.

The evolution of the planetary interior during plate tectonics is controlled by slow convection within the mantle. Global-scale geochemical differences across the upper mantle are known, but how they are preserved during convection has not been adequately explained. We demonstrate that the geographic patterns of chemical variations around the Earth's mantle endure as a direct result of whole-mantle convection within largely isolated cells defined by subducting plates. New 3D spherical numerical models embedded with the latest geological paleo-tectonic reconstructions and ground-truthed with new Hf-Nd isotope data, suggest that uppermost mantle at one location (e.g. under Indian Ocean) circulates down to the core-mantle boundary (CMB), but returns within ≥100 Myrs via large-scale convection to its approximate starting location. Modelled tracers pool at the CMB but do not disperse ubiquitously around it. Similarly, mantle beneath the Pacific does not spread to surrounding regions of the planet. The models fit global patterns of isotope data and may explain features such as the DUPAL anomaly and long-standing differences between Indian and Pacific Ocean crust. Indeed, the geochemical data suggests this mode of convection could have influenced the evolution of mantle composition since 550 Ma and potentially since the onset of plate tectonics.

The article introduces the special issue on staging atmospheres by surveying the philosophical, political and anthropological literature on atmosphere, and explores the relationship between atmosphere, material culture, subjectivity and affect. Atmosphere seems to occupy one of the classic...

Re-Os and platinum group element analyses are reported for peridotite xenoliths from the 533 Ma Venetia kimberlite cluster situated in the Limpopo Mobile Belt, the Neoarchaean collision zone between the Kaapvaal and Zimbabwe Cratons. The Venetian xenoliths provide a rare opportunity to examine the state of the cratonic lithosphere prior to major regional metasomatic disturbance of Re-Os systematics throughout the Phanerozoic. The 32 studied xenoliths record Si-enrichment that is characteristic of the Kaapvaal lithospheric mantle and can be subdivided into five groups based on Re-Os analyses. The most pristine group I samples (n = 13) display an approximately isochronous relationship and fall on a 3.28 ± 0.17 Ga (95 % conf. int.) reference line that is based on their mean TMA age. This age overlaps with the formation age of the Limpopo crust at 3.35-3.28 Ga. The group I samples derive from ∼50 to ∼170 km depth, suggesting coeval melt depletion of the majority of the Venetia lithospheric mantle column. Group II and III samples have elevated Re/Os due to Re addition during kimberlite magmatism. Group II has otherwise undergone a similar evolution as the group I samples with overlapping 187Os/188Os at eruption age: 187Os/188OsEA, while group III samples have low Os concentrations, unradiogenic 187Os/188OsEA and were effectively Re-free prior to kimberlite magmatism. The other sample groups (IV and V) have disturbed Re-Os systematics and provide no reliable age information. A strong positive correlation is recorded between Os and Re concentrations for group I samples, which is extended to groups II and III after correction for kimberlite addition. This positive correlation precludes a single stage melt depletion history and indicates coupled remobilisation of Re and Os. The combination of Re-Os mobility, preservation of the isochronous relationship, correlation of 187Os/188Os with degree of melt depletion and lack of radiogenic Os addition puts tight constraints on

The mantle is the most voluminous part of the Earth. However, mantle petrologists usually have to rely on indirect geophysical methods or on material found ex situ. In this review paper, we point out the in-situ existence of oceanic core complexes (OCCs), which provide large exposures of mantle and lower crustal rocks on the seafloor on detachment fault footwalls at slow-spreading ridges. OCCs are a common structure in oceanic crust architecture of slow-spreading ridges. At least 172 OCCs have been identified so far and we can expect to discover hundreds of new OCCs as more detailed mapping takes place. Thirty-two of the thirty-nine OCCs that have been sampled to date contain peridotites. Moreover, peridotites dominate in the plutonic footwall of 77% of OCCs. Massive OCC peridotites come from the very top of the melting column beneath ocean ridges. They are typically spinel harzburgites and show 11.3-18.3% partial melting, generally representing a maximum degree of melting along a segment. Another key feature is the lower frequency of plagioclase-bearing peridotites in the mantle rocks and the lower abundance of plagioclase in the plagioclase-bearing peridotites in comparison to transform peridotites. The presence of plagioclase is usually linked to impregnation with late-stage melt. Based on the above, OCC peridotites away from segment ends and transforms can be treated as a new class of abyssal peridotites that differ from transform peridotites by a higher degree of partial melting and lower interaction with subsequent transient melt.

A multitude of factors including the distance from the host star and the stage of planetary evolution affect planetary climate and habitability. The complex interactions between the atmosphere and dynamics of the deep interior of the planets along with stellar fluxes present a formidable challenge. This work employs simplified approaches to address these complex issues in a systematic way. To be specific, we are investigating the coupled evolution of atmosphere and mantle dynamics. The overarching goal here is to simulate the evolutionary history of the terrestrial planets, for example Venus, Earth and Mars. This research also aims at deciphering the history of Venus-like runaway greenhouse and thus explore the possibility of cataclysmic shifts in climate of Earth-like planets. We focus on volatile cycling within the solid planets to understand the role of carbon/water in climatic and tectonic outcomes of such planets. In doing so, we are considering the feedbacks in the coupled mantle-atmosphere system. The primary feedback between the atmosphere and mantle is the surface temperature established by the greenhouse effect, which regulates the temperature gradient that drives the mantle convection and controls the rate at which volatiles are exchanged through weathering. We start our models with different initial assumptions to determine the final climate outcomes within a reasonable parameter space. Currently, there are very few planetary examples, to sample the climate outcomes, however this will soon change as exoplanets are discovered and examined. Therefore, we will be able to work with a significant number of potential candidates to answer questions like this one: For every Earth is there one Venus? ten? a thousand?

Full Text Available The mantle is the most voluminous part of the Earth. However, mantle petrologists usually have to rely on indirect geophysical methods or on material found ex situ. In this review paper, we point out the in-situ existence of oceanic core complexes (OCCs, which provide large exposures of mantle and lower crustal rocks on the seafloor on detachment fault footwalls at slow-spreading ridges. OCCs are a common structure in oceanic crust architecture of slow-spreading ridges. At least 172 OCCs have been identified so far and we can expect to discover hundreds of new OCCs as more detailed mapping takes place. Thirty-two of the thirty-nine OCCs that have been sampled to date contain peridotites. Moreover, peridotites dominate in the plutonic footwall of 77% of OCCs. Massive OCC peridotites come from the very top of the melting column beneath ocean ridges. They are typically spinel harzburgites and show 11.3–18.3% partial melting, generally representing a maximum degree of melting along a segment. Another key feature is the lower frequency of plagioclase-bearing peridotites in the mantle rocks and the lower abundance of plagioclase in the plagioclase-bearing peridotites in comparison to transform peridotites. The presence of plagioclase is usually linked to impregnation with late-stage melt. Based on the above, OCC peridotites away from segment ends and transforms can be treated as a new class of abyssal peridotites that differ from transform peridotites by a higher degree of partial melting and lower interaction with subsequent transient melt.

Importance: To our knowledge, the clinical features of ocular adnexal mantle-cell lymphoma (OA-MCL) have not previously been evaluated in a large multicenter cohort. Objective: To characterize the clinical features of OA-MCL. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective multicenter study...... presented with a relapse of systemic lymphoma in the ocular adnexal region. Conclusions and Relevance: These results suggest that the distinctive features of OA-MCL are its appearance in older male individuals, advanced stage and bilateral manifestation at the time of diagnosis, and aggressive course...

Oceanic island basalts provide the opportunity for the geochemist to study the deep mantle source removed from continental sources of contamination and, for long-lived systems, the evolution of mantle sources with time. In the case of the Hawaiian-Emperor (HE) chain, formation by a long-lived (>81 Myr), deeply-sourced mantle plume allows for insight into plume dynamics and deep mantle geochemistry. The geochemical record of the entire chain is now complete with analysis of Pb-Hf-Nd-Sr isotopes and elemental compositions of the Northwest Hawaiian Ridge (NWHR), which consists of 51 volcanoes spanning 42 Ma between the bend in the chain and the Hawaiian Islands. This segment of the chain previously represented a significant data gap where Hawaiian plume geochemistry changed markedly, along with magmatic flux: only Kea compositions have been observed on Emperor seamounts (>50 Ma), whereas the Hawaiian Islands (drift through different lower mantle geohemical domains.

Ca isotopes are useful to decipher mantle evolution and the genetic relationship between the Earth and chondrites. It has been observed that Ca isotopes can be fractionated at high temperature [1-2]. However, Ca isotopic composition of the mantle peridotites and fractionation mechanism are still poorly constrained. Here, we report Ca isotope composition of 12 co-existing pyroxene pairs in 10 lherzolites, 1 harzburgite, and 1 wehrlite xenoliths collected from Hainan Island (South Eastern China). Ca isotope data were measured on a Triton-TIMS using the double spike method at the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, CAS. The long-term external error is 0.12‰ (2SD) based on repeated analyses of NIST SRM 915a and geostandards. δ44Ca of clinopyroxenes except that from the wehrlite ranges from 0.85‰ to 1.14‰, while opx yields a wide range from 0.98‰ up to 2.16‰. Co-existing pyroxene pairs show large Δ44Caopx-cpx (defined as δ44Caopx-δ44Cacpx) ranging from 0 to 1.23‰, reflecting equilibrium fractionation controlled by variable Ca contents in the opx. Notably, clinopyroxene of wehrlite shows extremely high δ44Ca (3.22‰). δ44Ca of the bulk lherzolites and harzburgites range from 0.86‰ to 1.14‰. This can be explained by extracting melts with slightly light Ca isotopic compositions. Finally, the high δ44Ca of the wehrlite (3.22‰) may reflect metasomatism by melt which has preferentially lost light Ca isotopes due to chemical diffusion during upwelling through the melt channel. [1] Amini et al (2009) GGR 33; [2] Huang et al (2010) EPSL 292.

Nominally anhydrous minerals such as olivine, pyroxene and garnet can accommodate tens to hundreds of ppm H2O in the form of hydrogen bonded to structural oxygen in lattice defects. Although in seemingly small amounts, this water can significantly alter chemical and physical properties of the minerals and rocks. Water in particular can modify their rheological properties and its distribution in the mantle derives from melting and metasomatic processes and lithology repartition (pyroxenite vs peridotite). These effects will be examined here using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) water analyses on minerals from mantle xenoliths from cratons, plume-influenced cratons and oceanic settings. In particular, our results on xenoliths from three different cratons will be compared. Each craton has a different water distribution and only the mantle root of Kaapvaal has evidence for dry olivine at its base. This challenges the link between olivine water content and survival of Archean cratonic mantle, and questions whether xenoliths are representative of the whole cratonic mantle. We will also present our latest data on Hawaii and Tanzanian craton xenoliths which both suggest the intriguing result that mantle lithosphere is not enriched in water when it interacts with melts from deep mantle upwellings (plumes).

Recycling of oceanic lithosphere drives the chemical evolution of the Earth's mantle supplying both solids and volatiles to the Earth's interior. Yet, how subducted material influences mantle composition remains unclear. A perfect tracer for slab recycling should be only fractionated at the Earth's surface, have a strong influence on mantle compositions but be resistant to perturbations en route back to the surface. Current understanding suggests that boron concentrations linked to B isotope determinations fulfil all these requirements and should be an excellent tracer of heterogeneity in the deep mantle. Here, we present the trace element, volatile and the B isotope composition of basaltic glasses and melt inclusions in olivine from distinct end-member ocean island basalts (OIB) to track the fate of recycled lithosphere and ultimately document how recycling contributes to mantle heterogeneity. The chosen samples represent the different end member OIB compositions and include: EMI (Pitcairn), EMII (MacDonald), HIMU (St. Helena), and FOZO (Cape Verde & Reunion). The data is derived from both submarine and subaerial deposits, with B isotope determination of both basaltic glass and melt inclusions from each locality. Preliminary results suggest OIB have B isotopic compositions that overlap the MORB array (-7.5‰±0.7; Marschall et al., 2015) but extend to both lighter and heavier values. These results suggest that B isotopes will be useful for resolving mantle source heterogeneity at different ocean islands and contribute to our understanding of the volatile budget of the deep mantle.

Detailed petrological and geochemical investigations of an extensive sampling of mantle xenoliths from the Neogene-Quaternary Bir Ali diatreme (southern Yemen) indicate that the underlying lithospheric mantle consists predominantly of medium- to fine-grained (often foliated) spinel-peridotites (85-90%) and spinel-pyroxenites (10-15%) showing thermobarometric estimates in the P-T range of 0.9-2.0 GPa and 900-1150 °C. Peridotites, including lherzolites, harzburgites and dunites delineate continuous chemical, modal and mineralogical variations compatible with large extractions of basic melts occurring since the late Proterozoic (~ 2 Ga, according to Lu-Hf model ages). Pyroxenites may represent intrusions of subalkaline basic melts interacting and equilibrated with the host peridotite. Subsequent metasomatism has led to modal changes, with evidence of reaction patches and clinopyroxene and spinel destabilization, as well as formation of new phases (glass, amphibole and feldspar). These changes are accompanied by enrichment of the most incompatible elements and isotopic compositions. 143Nd/144Nd ranges from 0.51419 to 0.51209 (εNd from + 30.3 to - 10.5), 176Hf/177Hf from 0.28459 to 0.28239 (εHf from + 64.4 to - 13.6), and 208Pb/204Pb from 36.85 to 41.56, thus extending from the depleted mantle (DM) towards the enriched OIB mantle (EM and HIMU) components. 3He/4He (R/RA) ratios vary from 7.2 to 7.9 with He concentrations co-varying with the most incompatible element enrichment, in parallel with metasomatic effects. These metasomatic events, particularly effective in harzburgites and dunites, are attributable to the variable interaction with alkaline basic melts related to the general extensional and rifting regime affecting the East Africa-Arabian domain during the Cenozoic. In this respect, Bir Ali mantle xenoliths resemble those occurring along the Arabian margins and the East Africa Rift system, similarly affected by alkaline metasomatism, whereas they are

Full Text Available The lower plate is the dominant agent in modern convergent margins characterized by active subduction, as negatively buoyant oceanic lithosphere sinks into the asthenosphere under its own weight. This is a strong plate-driving force because the slab-pull force is transmitted through the stiff sub-oceanic lithospheric mantle. As geological and geochemical data seem inconsistent with the existence of modern-style ridges and arcs in the Archaean, a periodically-destabilized stagnant-lid crust system is proposed instead. Stagnant-lid intervals may correspond to periods of layered mantle convection where efficient cooling was restricted to the upper mantle, perturbing Earth's heat generation/loss balance, eventually triggering mantle overturns. Archaean basalts were derived from fertile mantle in overturn upwelling zones (OUZOs, which were larger and longer-lived than post-Archaean plumes. Early cratons/continents probably formed above OUZOs as large volumes of basalt and komatiite were delivered for protracted periods, allowing basal crustal cannibalism, garnetiferous crustal restite delamination, and coupled development of continental crust and sub-continental lithospheric mantle. Periodic mixing and rehomogenization during overturns retarded development of isotopically depleted MORB (mid-ocean ridge basalt mantle. Only after the start of true subduction did sequestration of subducted slabs at the core-mantle boundary lead to the development of the depleted MORB mantle source. During Archaean mantle overturns, pre-existing continents located above OUZOs would be strongly reworked; whereas OUZO-distal continents would drift in response to mantle currents. The leading edge of drifting Archaean continents would be convergent margins characterized by terrane accretion, imbrication, subcretion and anatexis of unsubductable oceanic lithosphere. As Earth cooled and the background oceanic lithosphere became denser and stiffer, there would be an increasing

The mantle plume hypothesis for the origin of intraplate volcanism has been controversial since its inception in the 1970s. The hypothesis proposes hot narrow upwelling of rock rooted at the core mantle boundary (CMB) rise through the mantle and interact with the base of the lithosphere forming linear volcanic systems such as Hawaii and Yellowstone. Recently, broad lower mantle (>500 km in diameter) slow velocity conduits, most likely thermochemical in origin, have been associated with some intraplate volcanic provinces (French and Romanowicz, 2015). However, the direct detection of a classical thin thermal plume in the lower mantle using travel time tomography has remained elusive (Anderson and Natland, 2014). Here we present a new shear wave tomography model for the mantle beneath the western United States that is optimized to find short wavelength, sub-vertical structures in the lower mantle. Our approach uses carefully measured SKS and SKKS travel times recorded by dense North American seismic networks in conjunction with finite frequency kernels to build on existing tomography models. We find the presence of a narrow ( 300 km diameter) well isolated cylindrically shaped slow anomaly in the lower most mantle which we associate with the Yellowstone Hotspot. The conduit has a 2% reduction in shear velocity and is rooted at the CMB near the California/Arizona/Nevada border. A cross sectional view through the anomaly shows that it is slightly tilted toward the north until about 1300 km depth where it appears to weaken and deflect toward the surficial positon of the hotspot. Given the anomaly's strength, proximity to the Yellowstone Hotspot, and morphology we argue that a thermal plume interpretation is the most reasonable. Our results provide strong support for a lower mantle plume origin of the Yellowstone hotspot and more importantly the existence of deep thermal plumes.

The approximately chondritic relative, and comparatively high absolute mantle abundances of the highly siderophile elements (HSE), suggest that their concentrations in the bulk silicate Earth were primarily established during a final ∼0.5 to 1% of ;late accretion; to the mantle, following the cessation of core segregation. Consequently, the isotopic composition of the HSE Ru in the mantle reflects an amalgamation of the isotopic compositions of late accretionary contributions to the silicate portion of the Earth. Among cosmochemical materials, Ru is characterized by considerable mass-independent isotopic variability, making it a powerful genetic tracer of Earth's late accretionary building blocks. To define the Ru isotopic composition of the oceanic mantle, the largest portion of the accessible mantle, we report Ru isotopic data for materials from one Archean and seven Phanerozoic oceanic mantle domains. A sample from a continental lithospheric mantle domain is also examined. All samples have identical Ru isotopic compositions, within analytical uncertainties, indicating that Ru isotopes are well mixed in the oceanic mantle, defining a μ100Ru value of 1.2 ± 7.2 (2SD). The only known meteorites with the same Ru isotopic composition are enstatite chondrites and, when corrected for the effects of cosmic ray exposure, members of the Main Group and sLL subgroup of the IAB iron meteorite complex which have a collective CRE corrected μ100Ru value of 0.9 ± 3.0. This suggests that materials from the region(s) of the solar nebula sampled by these meteorites likely contributed the dominant portion of late accreted materials to Earth's mantle.

Melting processes in the deep mantle have important implications for the origin of the deep-derived plumes believed to feed hotspot volcanoes such as those in Hawaii. They also provide insight into how the mantle has evolved, geochemically and dynamically, since the formation of Earth. Melt production in the shallow mantle is quite well understood, but deeper melting near the core-mantle boundary remains controversial. Modelling the dynamic behaviour of deep, partially molten mantle requires knowledge of the density contrast between solid and melt fractions. Although both positive and negative melt buoyancies can produce major chemical segregation between different geochemical reservoirs, each type of buoyancy yields drastically different geodynamical models. Ascent or descent of liquids in a partially molten deep mantle should contribute to surface volcanism or production of a deep magma ocean, respectively. We investigated phase relations in a partially molten chondritic-type material under deep-mantle conditions. Here we show that the iron partition coefficient between aluminium-bearing (Mg,Fe)SiO(3) perovskite and liquid is between 0.45 and 0.6, so iron is not as incompatible with deep-mantle minerals as has been reported previously. Calculated solid and melt density contrasts suggest that melt generated at the core-mantle boundary should be buoyant, and hence should segregate upwards. In the framework of the magma oceans induced by large meteoritic impacts on early Earth, our results imply that the magma crystallization should push the liquids towards the surface and form a deep solid residue depleted in incompatible elements.

The concept that the Mohorovicic Discontinuity (Moho) does not necessarily coincide with the base of the continental crust as defined by rock-type compositions was introduced in the early 1980s. This had an important impact on understanding the nature of the crust-mantle boundary using information from seismology and from deep-seated samples brought to the surface as xenoliths in magmas, or as tectonic terranes. The use of empirically-constrained P-T estimates to plot the locus of temperature vs depth for xenoliths defined a variety of geotherms depending on tectonic environment. The xenolith geotherms provided a framework for constructing lithological sections through the deep lithosphere, and revealed that the crust-mantle boundary in off-craton regions commonly is transitional over a depth range of about 5-20 km. Early seismic-reflection data showed common layering near the Moho, correlating with the petrological observation of multiple episodes of basaltic intrusion around the crust-mantle boundary. Developments in seismology, petrophysics and experimental petrology have refined interpretation of lithospheric domains. The expansion of in situ geochronology (especially zircon U-Pb ages and Hf-isotopes; Os isotopes of mantle sulfides) has defined tectonic events that affected whole crust-mantle sections, and revealed that the crust-mantle boundary can change in depth through time. However, the nature of the crust-mantle boundary in cratonic regions remains enigmatic, mainly due to lack of key xenoliths or exposed sections. The observation that the Moho may lie significantly deeper than the crust-mantle boundary has important implications for modeling the volume of the crust. Mapping the crust using seismic techniques alone, without consideration of the petrological problems, may lead to an overestimation of crustal thickness by 15-30%. This will propagate to large uncertainties in the calculation of elemental mass balances relevant to crust-formation processes

The recent attention given to Pu(IV) polymers has warranted a review of plutonium and thorium hydrolysis chemistry with respect to the various experimental approaches and insights gained therein. Differing terminologies used in the experimental procedures have often confused the understanding of the chemical processes which occur between the first hydrolysis reaction of the tetravalent actinide and its final dehydration to form the crystalline oxide. This report focuses on the polymer aging reaction which is defined here in terms of A. W. Thomas' ol to oxo conversion reaction and involves simply the conversion of hydroxyl-bridged polymer links to oxygen-bridged linkages. Thorium(IV) hydrolytic reactions are included because they are analogous in many respects to those of Pu(IV) and offer a simpler chemical system for experimental study. Future work using spectroscopic techniques should significantly improve the description of this aging phenomenon

A solar combisystem based on a mantle tank is investigated numerically and experimentally. Three different houses with four different radiator systems are considered for the simulations. The needed temperature for the auxiliary heater is determined for different houses and radiator systems....... The thermal performance of the solar combisystem is compared to the thermal performance of a solar domestic hot water system based on a mantle tank. In the experimental study, tank temperatures and the heat transfer coefficient for the top mantle for a discharge test is determined. The investigations showed...

Seismic travel-time tomography of the mantle under SE Asia reveals patterns of subduction-related seismic P-wave velocity anomalies that are of great value in helping to understand the region's tectonic development. We discuss tomography and tectonic interpretations of an area centred on Indonesia and including Malaysia, parts of the Philippines, New Guinea and northern Australia. We begin with an explanation of seismic tomography and causes of velocity anomalies in the mantle, and discuss assessment of model quality for tomographic models created from P-wave travel times. We then introduce the global P-wave velocity anomaly model UU-P07 and the tectonic model used in this paper and give an overview of previous interpretations of mantle structure. The slab-related velocity anomalies we identify in the upper and lower mantle based on the UU-P07 model are interpreted in terms of the tectonic model and illustrated with figures and movies. Finally, we discuss where tomographic and tectonic models for SE Asia converge or diverge, and identify the most important conclusions concerning the history of the region. The tomographic images of the mantle record subduction beneath the SE Asian region to depths of approximately 1600 km. In the upper mantle anomalies mainly record subduction during the last 10 to 25 Ma, depending on the region considered. We interpret a vertical slab tear crossing the entire upper mantle north of west Sumatra where there is a strong lateral kink in slab morphology, slab holes between c.200-400 km below East Java and Sumbawa, and offer a new three-slab explanation for subduction in the North Sulawesi region. There is a different structure in the lower mantle compared to the upper mantle and the deep structure changes from west to east. What was imaged in earlier models as a broad and deep anomaly below SE Asia has a clear internal structure and we argue that many features can be identified as older subduction zones. We identify remnants of slabs

Previous studies have suggested some approximations for the basic equations of terrestrial mantle convection. The approximations are based on five dimensionless parameters-M (Much number), Pr (Prandtl number), Di (dissipation number), Co (Compressibility number; the ratio of dissipation number to the Grüneisen number), and υ (fraction of density change due to thermal expansion). These approximations are given by: (i) M2Pr → 0 for the anelastic liquid approximation (ALA), (ii) M2Pr → 0 and υ → 0 for the truncated anelastic liquid approximation (TALA), (iii) M2Pr → 0, υ → 0, and Co → 0 for the extended Boussinesq approximation (EBA), (iv) M2Pr → 0, υ → 0, and Di/Ra → 0 for the superadiabatic Boussinesq approximation (SBA), and (v) M2Pr → 0, υ → 0, Co → 0, and Di → 0 for the Boussinesq approximation (BA). This study suggests the use of five dimensionless parameters, namely, M, Pr, Di, Co, and Ra (Rayleigh number), to reduce the number of approximations to four: (I) M2Pr → 0 for the ALA, (II) M2Pr → 0 and Co → 0 for the EBA, (III) M2Pr → 0 and Di/Ra → 0 for the SBA, and (IV) M2Pr → 0, Co → 0, and Di → 0 for the BA. This is because υ is simply defined by υ = M2PrRa/Co and is automatically approximated to 0 when M2Pr → 0. In other words, approximations of ALA and TALA can be unified because they represent the same sense physically. This conclusion is valid for mantle convection in the present Earth whose Ra ∼ O(107) is approximately one order smaller than the threshold Rayleigh number, Rathr = Co/(M2Pr) ∼ O(108).

The viscosity of the mantle is indispensable for predicting Earth's mechanical behavior at scales ranging from deep mantle material flow to local stress accumulation in earthquakes zones. But, mantle viscosity is not well determined. For the lower mantle, particularly, only few constraints result

We have devised a new algorithm for upper-mantle surface-wave tomography based on adaptive parameterization: i.e. the size of each parameterization pixel depends on the local density of seismic data coverage. The advantage in using this kind of parameterization is that a high resolution can be achieved in regions with dense data coverage while a lower (and cheaper) resolution is kept in regions with low coverage. This way, parameterization is everywhere optimal, both in terms of its computational cost, and of model resolution. This is especially important for data sets with inhomogenous data coverage, as it is usually the case for global seismic databases. The data set we use has an especially good coverage around Switzerland and over central Europe. We focus on periods from 35s to 150s. The final goal of the project is to determine a new model of seismic velocities for the upper mantle underlying Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, of resolution higher than what is currently found in the literature. Our inversions involve regularization via norm and roughness minimization, and this in turn requires that discrete norm and roughness operators associated with our adaptive grid be precisely defined. The discretization of the roughness damping operator in the case of adaptive parameterizations is not as trivial as it is for the uniform ones; important complications arise from the significant lateral variations in the size of pixels. We chose to first define the roughness operator in a spherical harmonic framework, and subsequently translate it to discrete pixels via a linear transformation. Since the smallest pixels we allow in our parameterization have a size of 0.625 °, the spherical-harmonic roughness operator has to be defined up to harmonic degree 899, corresponding to 810.000 harmonic coefficients. This results in considerable computational costs: we conduct the harmonic-pixel transformations on a small Beowulf cluster. We validate our implementation of adaptive

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-fourth edition (WAIS-IV) and the Wechsler Memory Scale-fourth edition (WMS-IV) were co-developed to be used individually or as a combined battery of tests. The independent factor structure of each of the tests has been identified; however, the combined factor structure has yet to be determined. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to the WAIS-IV/WMS-IV Adult battery (i.e., age 16-69 years) co-norming sample (n = 900) to test 13 measurement models. The results indicated that two models fit the data equally well. One model is a seven-factor solution without a hierarchical general ability factor: Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Processing Speed, Auditory Working Memory, Visual Working Memory, Auditory Memory, and Visual Memory. The second model is a five-factor model composed of Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Processing Speed, Working Memory, and Memory with a hierarchical general ability factor. Interpretative implications for each model are discussed.

Since 1969, a consistent discrepancy in seismic magnitudes of nuclear detonations at NTS compared with magnitudes of detonations elsewhere in the world has been observed. This discrepancy can be explained in terms of a relatively high seismic attenuation for compressional waves in the upper mantle beneath the NTS and in certain other locations. A correction has been developed for this attenuation based on a relationship between the velocity of compressional waves at the top of the earth's mantle (just beneath the Mohorovicic discontinuity) and the seismic attenuation further down in the upper mantle. Our new definition of body-wave magnitude includes corrections for attenuation in the upper mantle at both ends of the teleseismic body-wave path. These corrections bring the NTS oservations into line with measurements of foreign events, and enable one to make more reliable estimates of yields of underground nuclear explosions, wherever the explosion occurs

. An unusually high topography may be caused by a low density (high depletion) of the cratonic lithospheric mantle and/or by the dynamic support of the mantle with origin below the depth of isostatic compensation (assumed here to be at the lithosphere base). We use free-board constraints to examine the relative...... contributions of the both factors to surface topography in the cratons of southern Africa. Our analysis takes advantage of the SASE seismic experiment which provided high resolution regional models of the crustal thickness.We calculate the model of density structure of the lithospheric mantle in southern Africa...... and show that it has an overall agreement with xenolith-based data for lithospheric terranes of different ages. Density of lithospheric mantle has significant short-wavelength variations in all tectonic blocks of southern Africa and has typical SPT values of ca. 3.37-3.41g/cm3 in the Cape Fold and Namaqua...

the development of a new regional crustal model, SibCrust, that is a digital crustal model for both the Siberian Craton and the West Siberian Basin. The SibCrust model, constrained by digitizing of all available seismic profiles and crustal velocity models across the Siberia, also includes a critical quality...... assessment of regional seismic data and crustal regionalization based on seismic structure of the crust. The second part of the study included the development of the SibDensity model that is the density model of the lithospheric mantle calculated by the mass balance method. Mantle density modeling involved...... in the lithospheric mantle density, are interpreted in terms of regional tectonic evolution, namely the mechanism by which the Paleozoic intracontinental basin has been formed and the tectono-magmatic processes by which the Archean-Proterozoic craton has been modified as reflected in the composition of its mantle....

It has previously been postulated that the Earth's hydrous mantle transition zone may play a key role in intraplate magmatism, but no confirmatory evidence has been reported. Here we demonstrate that hydrothermally altered subducted oceanic crust was involved in generating the late Cenozoic Chifeng continental flood basalts of East Asia. This study combines oxygen isotopes with conventional geochemistry to provide evidence for an origin in the hydrous mantle transition zone. These observations lead us to propose an alternative thermochemical model, whereby slab-triggered wet upwelling produces large volumes of melt that may rise from the hydrous mantle transition zone. This model explains the lack of pre-magmatic lithospheric extension or a hotspot track and also the arc-like signatures observed in some large-scale intracontinental magmas. Deep-Earth water cycling, linked to cold subduction, slab stagnation, wet mantle upwelling and assembly/breakup of supercontinents, can potentially account for the chemical diversity of many continental flood basalts.

in determining crustal seismic discontinuities. In the second chapter, I deal about the possibility to disentangle the dynamic and isostatic contribution in shaping the Earth's surface topography. Dynamic topography is directly linked to mantle convection driven by mantle thermo-chemical anomalies, and can......A detailed knowledge of the Earth's thermal structure and chemical composition is fundamental in order to understand the processes driving the planet ormation and evolution. The inaccessibility of most of the Earth's interior makes the determination of its thermo-chemical conditions a challenging...... argue therefore that our understandings of the lithosphere density structure, needed to determine the isostatic topography, and of the mantle density and viscosity, required to compute the dynamic topography, are still too limited to allow a robust determination of mantle convection effects on the Earth...

This how-to guide offers a concise and thorough introduction to the increased productivity, better readability, and easier program maintenance that comes with the free-format style of programming in RPG IV. Although free-format information is available in IBM manuals, it is not separated from everything else, thereby requiring hours of tedious research to track down the information needed. This book provides everything one needs to know to write RPG IV in the free-format style, and author Jim Martin not only teaches rules and syntax but also explains how this new style of coding has the pot

The mantle plume hypothesis is widely accepted for the formation of large igneous provinces (LIP) and many ocean island basalts (OIB). Petrologic models support a mantle plume origin by indicating high mantle temperatures (>1500 °C) for some plume-melts relative to melts generated at ambient mid ocean ridge conditions (1350 °C). Mantle plumes forming LIPs and OIBs provide our primary source of information on the geochemical and lithological heterogeneity of the lower mantle. The Galapagos hotspot represents one of the most thermally and geochemically heterogeneous plumes on the planet, sustaining long-lived isotopic and lithological heterogeneity over its 90 Ma evolution. Previous petrologic studies showed that the Galapagos plume secularly cooled over time and that the decrease in the plume's temperature correlates with an increase in a recycled (pyroxenite) component. We used Al-in-olivine thermometry to show that maximum olivine crystallization temperatures confirm secular cooling of the Galapagos plume. Olivines from the early melting stages of the plume at 90 Ma (Caribbean LIP) record the highest crystallization temperatures (1600 °C). Olivines from the current archipelago record the lowest temperatures of only 1300 °C. The largest decrease in temperature occurred between 90 and 70 Ma ( 200 °C decrease) and coincides with the plume head-tail transition. Olivines from the 60-90 Ma-old accreted Galapagos-tracks in Costa Rica and Panama record higher Ni, Fe/Mn, and lower Ca contents than those from the present-day archipelago, indicating a higher abundance of pyroxenite (recycled oceanic crust) entrained in parts of the plume head that melted to form the Caribbean LIP. However, the Galapagos plume was pyroxenite-rich for 40 Ma thus pyroxenite-entrainment goes beyond the plume-tail transition. Our results suggest that hotter regions of the Galapagos plume entrained larger amounts of dense, recycled components due to their greater buoyancy; however, this

Much speculation has been put forward on the quantity and nature of carbon reservoirs in the deep Earth, because of its involvement in the evolution of life at the surface and inside planetary interiors. Carbon penetrates into the Earth's mantle mostly during subduction of oceanic crust, which contains carbonate deposits [1], however the form that it assumes at lower mantle depths is scarcely understood [2], hampering our ability to estimate the amount of carbon in the entire mantle by orders of magnitude. We present simulations of spontaneous degassing of supercritical CO2 using in-house developed novel implementations of the Fast-Multipole Boundary Element Method suitable for modeling two-phase flow (here mantle mineral and free CO2 fluid) through disordered materials such as porous rocks. Because the mutual interaction of droplets immersed either in a fluid or a solid matrix and their weakening effect to the host rock alters the strength of the mantle rocks, at the large scale the fluid phases in the mantle may control the creeping of mantle rocks [3]. In particular our study focuses on the percolation of supercritical CO2, estimated through the solution of the Laplace equation in a porous system, stochastically generated through a series of random Karhunen-Loeve decomposition. The model outcome is employed to extract the transmissivity of supercritical fluids in the mantle from the lowest scale up to the mantle scale and in combination with the creeping flow of the convecting mantle. The emerging scenarios on the global carbon cycle are finally discussed. [1] Boulard, E., et al., New host for carbon in the deep Earth. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011. 108(13): p. 5184-5187. [2] Walter, M.J., et al., Deep Mantle Cycling of Oceanic Crust: Evidence from Diamonds and Their Mineral Inclusions. Science, 2011. 334(6052): p. 54-57. [3] Morra, G., et al., Ascent of Bubbles in Magma Conduits Using Boundary Elements and Particles. Procedia Computer

In recent years array seismology has been used extensively to image the small scale (~10 km) structure of the Earth. In the mantle, small scale structure likely represents chemical heterogeneity and is essential in our understanding of mantle convection and especially mantle mixing. As subduction is the main source of introducing crustal material into the Earth's mantle, it is of particular interest to track the transport of subducted crust through the mantle to resolve details of composition and deformation of the crust during the subduction process. Improved knowledge of subduction can help provide constraints on the mechanical mixing process of crustal material into the ambient mantle, as well as constraining mantle composition and convection. This study uses seismic array techniques to map seismic heterogeneities associated with Western Pacific subduction zones, where a variety of slab geometries have been previously observed. We use seismic energy arriving prior to PP, a P-wave underside reflection off the Earth's surface halfway between source and receiver, to probe the mantle for small-scale heterogeneities. PP precursors were analysed at Eielson Array (ILAR), Alaska using the recently developed Toolkit for Out-of-Plane Coherent Arrival Tracking (TOPCAT) algorithm. The approach combines the calculated optimal beampower and an independent semblance (coherency) measure, to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of coherent arrivals. 94 earthquakes with sufficient coherent precursory energy were selected and directivity information of the arrivals (i.e. slowness and backazimuth) was extracted from the data. The scattering locations for 311 out-of-plane precursors were determined by ray-tracing and minimising the slowness, backazimuth and differential travel time misfit. Initial analyses show that deep scattering (>1000 km) occurs beneath the Izu-Bonin subduction zone, suggesting that subducted crust does continue into the lower mantle in this location. Other

The concept of hot upwelling material - otherwise known as mantle plumes - has long been accepted as a possible mechanism to explain hotspots occurring at Earth's surface and it is recognized as a way of removing heat from the deep Earth. Nevertheless, this theory remains controversial since no one has definitively imaged a plume and over the last decades several other potential mechanisms that do not require a deep mantle source have been invoked to explain this phenomenon, for example small-scale convection at rifted margins, meteorite impacts or lithospheric delamination. One of the best locations to study the potential connection between hotspot volcanism at the surface and deep mantle plumes on land is the East African Rift (EAR). We image seismic velocity structure of the mantle below EAR with higher resolution than has been available to date by including seismic data recorded by stations from many regional networks ranging from Saudi Arabia to Tanzania. We use relative travel-time tomography to produce P- velocity models from the surface down into the lower mantle incorporating 9250 ray-paths in our model from 495 events and 402 stations. We add smaller earthquakes (4.5 image structures of ~ 100-km length scales to ~ 1000 km depth beneath the northern East-Africa rift (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Yemen) with good resolution also in the transition zone and uppermost lower mantle. Our observations provide evidence that the shallow mantle slow seismic velocities continue trough the transition zone and into the lower mantle. In particular, the relatively slow velocity anomaly beneath the Afar Depression extends up to depths of at least 1000 km depth while another low-velocity anomaly beneath the Main Ethiopian Rift seems to be present in the upper mantle only. These features in the lower mantle are isolated with a diameter of about 400 km indicating deep multiple sources of upwelling that converge in broader low-velocity bodies along the rift axis at shallow

Thorium, a radioactive element of actinide family was discovered by Berzelius in 1828 and named by him in honor of the Scandinavian God open-quote Thor close-quote. Following its discovery the earliest known use of thorium was in the making of gas mantles. The other use as an X-ray contrast medium open-quote Thorotrast close-quote has since long been discontinued, where as even today its use in gas mantles is continued. Gas lights have been used as a source of light since 1800's. In India, although electric bulbs have replaced most of the gas lights, even today in villages and in urban areas where there is no continuous power supply and in outdoor lightings gas lamps are used. The mantle which is used in these lamps is called the Welsbach mantle and is a netted hose that is impregnated with thorium nitrate and other metals. The function of a gas mantle is to produce a bright light during operation of the lighting device (gas or kerosene lamp) in which the mantle is placed. When placed in a lighting device and heated to 1300-1800 degree Celcius thorium in the mantle incandesces and gives off bright light. In India presently there are about 70 manufacturing units handling 150 metric tons of thorium nitrate annually. There are about four hundred persons involved in manufacturing 200 million mantles per year. Thorium is chosen because of its property of incadescence, however since it is radioactive, radiation safety of the workplace, handling personnel and safe environmental condition for members of public have to be maintained

In recent years, the social sciences have taken a “mobilities turn.” There has been a developing realisation that mobilities do not “just happen.” Mobilities are carefully and meticulously designed, planned and staged (from above). However, they are equally importantly acted out, performed and li......, the book asks: what are the physical, social, technical, and cultural conditions to the staging of contemporary urban mobilities?...... that mobility is more than movement between point A and B. It explores how the movement of people, goods, information, and signs influences human understandings of self, other and the built environment. Moving towards a new understanding of the relationship between movement, interaction and environments...

The petrological and geochemical study of garnet bearing pyroxenites from four localities (FMC, Morocco, Jordan, Cameroon) demonstrates that these rocks are cumulates crystallised in the lithospheric mantle domain. Metamorphic reactions, exsolutions and trace elements WR analysis demonstrate that their crystallisation pressure ranges between 1 and 2GPa (30 to 60km). The elaboration of the PTt paths for the studied samples attests of important movements in the respective lithospheres. Replaced in the geodynamical contexts, the samples are interpreted to represent the crystallisation of melts formed during exhumation of orogenic domains. Radiogenic isotopes (Sr-Nd) show that in a very same region, the samples are isotopicaly heterogeneous but are similar to the respective regional lithosphere. Initial isotopic ratios lead to propose that the FMC samples have crystallised at the end of the Hercynian orogen and that the samples from the other localities (Morocco, Jordan and Cameroon) have crystallised at the end of the Pan-African orogen. After recalculation at the crystallisation time, the isotopic compositions are in good agreement with the respective regional lithosphere ones and so samples of this study could represent the product of the melting of these lithospheres. The analyses of oxygen stable isotopes allow to precise the model; they show that twelve of the samples come from the melting of a lherzolitic mantle and that the four others come from the melting of a heterogeneous mantle formed of lherzolites and eclogites. The presence of some hydrous minerals such as amphiboles and micas and the trace elements WR analyses show that some of the samples were affected by a late metasomatic event. Results of our study show that thermal relaxation following orogenic events lead to the crystallisation of pyroxenites in the lithosphere. The presence of lage amounts of mantle pyroxenites in old orogenic regions confers physical and chemical particularities to these

Four cellular layers of the follicular mantle zone in palatine tonsil lymphatic tissue were studied by electron microscopy after simultaneous immunophenotypical investigation. The first layer of the mantle zone consisting of small blastic cells was analogous to the small (centrocytoid) blastic layer of germinal centres. The second B monocytoid layer was lacking analogy in basic series of lymphocytes and seemed to be an independent morphological and probably functional unit. Plasmacytoid and clarocellular elements in outer layers of follicular mantle zone were in a way similar to T plasmacytoid and clarocellular components of Sézary syndrome infiltrates but considering transitional forms they had a local origin from incompletely transformed elements of B monocytoid layer. Inner follicular mantle zone was discussed as a source of incompletely transformed B lymphocytes for further mantle layers where their immunophenotypical modulation is taking place according to actual need. Outer mantle layers are aggressive against damaged epithelial and litoral structures and may be instrumental in a common reaction of B and T components.

Subduction is integral to mantle convection and plate tectonics, yet the role of the subslab mantle in this process is poorly understood. Some propose that decoupling from the slab permits widespread trench parallel flow in the subslab mantle, although the geodynamical feasibility of this has been questioned. Here, we use the source-side shear wave splitting technique to probe anisotropy beneath subducting slabs, enabling us to test petrofabric models and constrain the geometry of mantle fow. Our global dataset contains 6369 high quality measurements - spanning ∼ 40 , 000 km of subduction zone trenches - over the complete range of available source depths (4 to 687 km) - and a large range of angles in the slab reference frame. We find that anisotropy in the subslab mantle is well characterised by tilted transverse isotropy with a slow-symmetry-axis pointing normal to the plane of the slab. This appears incompatible with purely trench-parallel flow models. On the other hand it is compatible with the idea that the asthenosphere is tilted and entrained during subduction. Trench parallel measurements are most commonly associated with shallow events (source depth slab. This may correspond to the shape preferred orientation of cracks, fractures, and faults opened by slab bending. Meanwhile the deepest events probe the upper lower mantle where splitting is found to be consistent with deformed bridgmanite.

Vigorous convective activity in the western U.S. mantle has long been inferred from the region's widespread intra-plate crustal deformation, volcanism, and high elevations, but the specific form of convective activity and the degree and nature of lithospheric involvement have been strongly debated. I design a seismic travel-time tomography method and implement it with seismic data from the EarthScope Transportable Array and complementary arrays to constrain three-dimensional seismic structure beneath the western U.S. Tomographic images of variations in compressional velocity, shear velocity, and the ratio of shear to compressional velocity in the western U.S. mantle to a depth of 1000 km are produced. Using these results I investigate mantle physical properties, Cenozoic subduction history, and the influence of small-scale lithospheric convection on regional tectonic and magmatic activity, with particular focus on southern California and the Pacific Northwest. This dissertation includes previously published co-authored material. Chapter II presents a travel-time tomography method I designed and first implemented with data from southern California and the surrounding southwestern U.S. The resulting images provide a new level of constraint on upper mantle seismic anomalies beneath the Transverse Ranges, southern Great Valley, Salton Trough, and southwestern Nevada volcanic field. Chapter III presents tomographic images of the western U.S. mantle, identifies upper mantle volumes where partial melt is probable, and discusses implications of the apparently widespread occurrence of gravitational instabilities of continental lithsophere and the complex geometry and buoyancy of subducted ocean lithosphere imaged beneath the western U.S. In Chapter IV, tomography images are used in conjunction with geologic constraints on major transitions in crustal deformation and magmatism to construct a model for Pacific Northwest evolution since the Cretaceous. Accretion in the Pacific

Original title: VeVeRa-IV The Dutch population is set to age rapidly in the coming years. More and more people will also attain a very great age. This means that the need for home care and care provided in nursing or residential care homes will also increase. As part of the Long-term Care

Full Text Available Not all Phase IV studies are post-marketing surveillance (PMS studies but every PMS study is a phase IV study. Phase IV is also an important phase of drug development. In particular, the real world effectiveness of a drug as evaluated in an observational, non-interventional trial in a naturalistic setting which complements the efficacy data that emanates from a pre-marketing randomized controlled trial (RCT. No matter how many patients are studied pre-marketing in a controlled environment, the true safety profile of a drug is characterized only by continuing safety surveillance through a spontaneous adverse event monitoring system and a post-marketing surveillance/non-interventional study. Prevalent practice patterns can generate leads that could result in further evaluation of a new indication via the RCT route or even a signal that may necessitate regulatory action (change in labeling, risk management/minimization action plan. Disease registries are another option as are the large simple hybrid trials. Surveillance of spontaneously reported adverse events continues as long as a product is marketed. And so Phase IV in that sense never ends.

Singlecrystal X-ray analysis revealed that compound 1 crystallises in the monoclinic 21 space group with six mononuclear [MnIVL2] units in the asymmetric unit along with three solvent DMF molecules. In the crystal structure, each Mn(IV) complex, acting as the building unit, undergoes supramolecular linking through C-H ...

The Martian shergottite meteorites are basaltic to lherzolitic igneous rocks that represent a period of relatively young mantle melting and volcanism, approximately 600-150 Ma (e.g. [1,2]). Their isotopic and elemental composition has provided important constraints on the accretion, evolution, structure and bulk composition of Mars. Measurements of the radiogenic isotope and trace element concentrations of the shergottite meteorite suite have identified two end-members; (1) incompatible trace element enriched, with radiogenic Sr and negative epsilon Nd-143, and (2) incompatible traceelement depleted, with non-radiogenic Sr and positive epsilon 143-Nd(e.g. [3-5]). The depleted component represents the shergottite martian mantle. The identity of the enriched component is subject to debate, and has been proposed to be either assimilated ancient martian crust [3] or from enriched domains in the martian mantle that may represent a late-stage magma ocean crystallization residue [4,5]. Olivine-phyric shergottites typically have the highest Mg# of the shergottite group and represent near-primitive melts having experienced minimal fractional crystallization or crystal accumulation [6]. Olivine-hosted melt inclusions (MI) in these shergottites represent the most chemically primitive components available to understand the nature of their source(s), melting processes in the martian mantle, and origin of enriched components. We present trace element compositions of olivine hosted melt inclusions in two depleted olivinephyric shergottites, Yamato 980459 (Y98) and Tissint (Fig. 1), and the mesostasis glass of Y98, using Secondary Ionization Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). We discuss our data in the context of understanding the nature and origin of the depleted martian mantle and the emergence of the enriched component.

Platinum (Pt) and tungsten (W) are both depleted in Earth's mantle. Due to their siderophile nature, they were both strongly partitioned into the Earth's core during its formation. However, in particular the Pt concentration in the Earth's mantle is much higher than expected from experimental data on metal-silicate partitioning appropriate for the conditions of core formation. A plausible explanation for this high Pt concentration is the late veneer hypothesis, where volatile-rich chondritic type material was delivered to Earth's surface after core formation. This can in principle explain both the volatiles in the Earth's ocean-atmosphere as well as the high Pt concentrations in the Earth's mantle. There are tungsten isotopic heterogeneities (182W/183W variations) in the early Earth that have been explained as being due to late veneer addition, as this material would have lower 182W/183W than the post-core formation mantle. There is also the gradual increase of Pt abundance through history in mantle as measured in mantle-derived rocks of various old ages. Both observations are thought to be caused by gradual mixing of late veneer material into Earth's mantle through plate subduction and mantle convection through geologic time. This would increase the Pt concentration and decrease the 182W/183W ratio in the mantle with time, as observed. Here we model the late veneer material as a thin sheet which is subducted into the mantle, and get stretched and mixed with the mantle material gradually. The stretching is assumed to follow a simple exponential law of decrease of the characteristic size of heterogeneity regions. The melting events that produce the rock samples of various ages measured on the surface are modeled as random geometric sampling of a sampling box with a certain length-scale. We are testing various scenarios of this mathematical model to see if both the variations in W isotopic ratio and the Pt concentration in Earth's history can be made consistent with

The surface topography of Europe shows important variations, most of which are relatively well explained by isostatic compensation of density contrasts within the crust and lithosphere. However, not all of the density contrasts leading to topography reside within the lithosphere. The crucial problem is how to detect the extra topography signal, in addition to that associated with both crustal and lithospheric anomalies. Forte and Perry, 2000 estimate the amplitude of the dynamic topography by removal of the crustal isostatic topography signal from the surface of the Earth. Faccenna and Becker, 2010 infer the equivalent dynamic topography from the normal stress generated at the surface by mantle viscous flow driven by thermal anomalies. Here we consider the correlation between residual topography and mantle residual gravity anomalies. As shown by Pekeris, 1935 and Hager et al., 1985, the viscous mantle flow that is driven by the thermal density contrasts is responsible for the long-wavelength gravity anomalies observed at the surface. They have demonstrated that the gravitational effects of surface deformation caused by the flow is opposite in sign and comparable in magnitude to that of the driving density contrast. The 1°x1° recently assembled European crustal model, EPCrust (Molinari and Morelli, 2011) is used to estimate the effects of the isostatic crust and the mantle residual gravity anomalies. We calculate the correlation matrix between the residual topography and the mantle residual gravity anomalies and we define the regions where the sublithospheric mantle density, below the European continent, contributes to surface topography. To recover the residual topography, the effects of the isostatic crust is estimated with the Panasyuk and Hager (2000) algorithm and subtracted from the observed elevation (ETOPO-1). The mantle residual gravity anomalies are estimated as the differences between the produced gravity field of EPCrust and the observations. 3-D

Understanding the geochemical behaviour of the siderophile elements--those tending to form alloys with iron in natural environments--is important in the search for a deep-mantle chemical 'fingerprint' in upper mantle rocks, and also in the evaluation of models of large-scale differentiation of the Earth and terrestrial planets. These elements are highly concentrated in the core relative to the silicate mantle, but their concentrations in upper mantle rocks are higher than predicted by most core-formation models. It has been suggested that mixing of outer-core material back into the mantle following core formation may be responsible for the siderophile element ratios observed in upper mantle rocks. Such re-mixing has been attributed to an unspecified metal-silicate interaction in the reactive D'' layer just above the core-mantle boundary. The siderophile elements are excellent candidates as indicators of an outer-core contribution to the mantle, but the nature and existence of possible core-mantle interactions is controversial. In light of the recent findings that grain-boundary diffusion of oxygen through a dry intergranular medium may be effective over geologically significant length scales and that grain boundaries can be primary storage sites for incompatible lithophile elements, the question arises as to whether siderophile elements might exhibit similar (or greater) grain-boundary mobility. Here we report experimental results from a study of grain-boundary diffusion of siderophile elements through polycrystalline MgO that were obtained by quantifying the extent of alloy formation between initially pure metals separated by approximately 1 mm of polycrystalline MgO. Grain-boundary diffusion resulted in significant alloying of sink and source particles, enabling calculation of grain-boundary fluxes. Our computed diffusivities were high enough to allow transport of a number of siderophile elements over geologically significant length scales (tens of kilometres

For elderly patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), there is no defined standard therapy. In this multicenter open-label phase I/II trial we evaluated the addition of lenalidomide (LEN) to rituximab-bendamustine (R-B) as first-line treatment to elderly MCL patients. Patients >65 years with untr......For elderly patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), there is no defined standard therapy. In this multicenter open-label phase I/II trial we evaluated the addition of lenalidomide (LEN) to rituximab-bendamustine (R-B) as first-line treatment to elderly MCL patients. Patients >65 years...... patients (median age 71 years) were enrolled 2009-2013. In phase I, the MTD of LEN was defined as 10 mg in cycles 2-6, and omitted in cycle 1. After six cycles, the complete remission rate (CRR) was 64% and 36% were MRD negative. At a median follow-up time of 31 months, median PFS was 42 months and 3 year...

Calibration of S-Al- K-Na-Ca distribution in the structure of the mantle amphiboles (Cr- hornblende, pargasite, kaersutite) using experimental data (Niida, Green, 1999; Wallace Green, 1991, Conceicao, Green, 2004; Medard et al, 2006; Safonov, Butvina, 2013; 2016; Pirard, Hermann, 2015 etc) allows to obtain an equation for pressure estimates in 0.5 - 4.5 GPa interval. Regression calculated pressures with experimental values (R 0.82) and precision 5 kbar allow to use barometer for a wide range of mantle rocks from peridotite to pyroxenites and megacrystals. For the higher pressures (Cr- pargasite richterite) calibration is carried by the cross- correlations with the estimates calculated for the natural associations obtained using clino- and orthopyroxene. IT was used KD =Si/(8-Al-2.2*Ti)*(Na+K))/Ca for the following equation: P(GPa)=0.0035*(4+K/(Na+K))*2*Mg)/Fe+3.75*(K+Na)/Ca))*KD*ToK**0.75/ (1+3.32*Fe)-ln(1273/ToK*5*(8*Mg-Al*2 +3*Ti+8*Cr+3*K)/10 Th advantage of this barometer comparing with the previous (Ridolfi, Renzulli, 2012) is that is working with all mantle amphibole types. For the calculations of the PT parameters of the natural xenocrysts it was used monomineral version of Gar-Amph termometer (Ravna et al., 2000) in combination with the received barometer. Contents of Ca- Mg and Fe in associated garnets were calculated usinf the regressions obtained from natural and experimental associations. Aplication of the mantle amphibole thermobarometry for the reconstruction of sections of the cratonic mantle lithosphere of Yakutia show that amphibloles are distributed in various parts of mantle sections in deifferent mantle terranes of Yakutia. The most abundant amphoboles from Alakite region are distributed within all mantle section. In the SCLM beneat Yubileyaya pipe thehalf of them belong to the spinel garnet facie refering to the upper pyroxenitic suit and Cr- hornblende - mica viens. The second group reffer to the eclogite pyroxenite layer in the middle part of

A range of high-energy, high-angular momentum (AM) giant impacts have been proposed as a potential trigger for lunar origin. High-energy, high-AM collisions create a previously unrecognized planetary object, called a synestia. Terrestrial synestias exceed the corotation limit for a rocky planet, forming an extended structure with a corotating inner region and disk-like outer region. We demonstrate that the internal pressures of Earth-like planets do not increase monotonically during the giant impact stage, but can vary substantially in response to changes in rotation and thermal state. The internal pressures in an impact-generated synestia are much lower than in condensed, slowly rotating planets of the same mass. For example, the core-mantle boundary (CMB) pressure can be as low as 60 GPa for a synestia with Earth mass and composition, compared to 136 GPa in the present-day Earth. The lower pressures are due to the low density and rapid rotation of the post-impact structure. After a high-AM Moon-forming impact, the internal pressures in the interior of the synestia would have increased to present-day Earth values in two stages: first by vapor condensation and second by removal of AM from the Earth during the tidal evolution of the Moon. The pressure evolution of the Earth has several implications. Metal-silicate equilibration after the impact would have occurred at much lower pressures than has previously been assumed. The observed moderately siderophile element abundances in the mantle may be consistent with equilibration at the bottom of a deep, lower-pressure magma ocean. In addition, the pressure at the CMB during cooling is coincident with, or lower than, the proposed intersection of liquid adiabats with the mantle liquidus. The mantle would hence freeze from the bottom up and there would be no basal magma ocean. The subsequent pressure increase and tidal heating due to the Moon's orbital evolution likely induces melting in the lowermost mantle. Increasing

Intraplate volcanism can occur in a variety of geodynamic settings. Its characteristics can inform about the underlying mantle dynamics. A non-negligible number of intraplate oceanic volcanoes are located close to continental shelves (e.g. Bermuda, Canary Islands, Cape Verde…). In these regions, any putative plumes would interact with Edge-Driven Convection (EDC), a mode of Small-Scale Convection that is triggered along steps of lithospheric thickness. We have systematically explored 2-D geodynamic models of EDC, varying e.g. the viscosity of the mantle, geometry of the edge, potential temperature, etc. In addition, we study the influence of a mantle plume with variable excess temperature and buoyancy flux at a given distance to the edge. The mantle-convection code is coupled with a new melting parameterization that considers the depletion effect on productivity. We apply this parameterization not only to predict the extent of melting for a given lithology, but also the major-element composition of extracted melts for comparison with geochemical data. Results show that the first EDC upwellings are always localized in the oceanic domain at a distance from the continental margin that depends on mantle viscosity. The initial geometry of the edge does not have a significant influence on the "steady-state" shape of EDC. Depending on the distance of the plume from the edge and plume vigor, the plume is either deflected or enhanced by EDC. The mix of materials that melts in the mantle, as well as the amount of melting, is controlled by the interaction of the plume with EDC (e.g., with melting restricted to fertile heterogeneities in the end-member EDC case). Because several model parameters affect this interaction and related melting, a joint analysis of major-element and trace-element composition of hotspot lavas is required to constrain mantle processes.

The density of Earth's outer core requires that about 5-10% of the outer core be composed of elements lighter than Fe-Ni; proposed choices for the "light element" component of Earth's core include H, C, O, Si, S, and combinations of these elements [e.g. 1]. Though samples of Earth's core are not available, mantle samples contain elemental signatures left behind from the formation of Earth's core. The abundances of siderophile (metal-loving) elements in Earth's mantle have been used to gain insight into the early accretion and differentiation history of Earth, the process by which the core and mantle formed, and the composition of the core [e.g. 2-4]. Similarly, the abundance of potential light elements in Earth's mantle could also provide constraints on Earth's evolution and core composition. The S abundance in Earth's mantle is 250 ( 50) ppm [5]. It has been suggested that 250 ppm S is too high to be due to equilibrium core formation in a high pressure, high temperature magma ocean on early Earth and that the addition of S to the mantle from the subsequent accretion of a late veneer is consequently required [6]. However, this earlier work of Li and Agee [6] did not parameterize the metalsilicate partitioning behavior of S as a function of thermodynamic variables, limiting the different pressure and temperature conditions during core formation that could be explored. Here, the question of explaining the mantle abundance of S is revisited, through parameterizing existing metal-silicate partitioning data for S and applying the parameterization to core formation in Earth.

Across the entire mantle we interpret 94 positive seismic wave-speed anomalies as subducted lithosphere and associate these slabs with their geological record. We document this as the Atlas of the Underworld, also accessible online at www.atlas-of-the-underworld.org, a compilation comprising subduction systems active in the past 300 Myr. Deeper slabs are correlated to older geological records, assuming no relative horizontal motions between adjacent slabs following break-off, using knowledge of global plate circuits, but without assuming a mantle reference frame. The longest actively subducting slabs identified reach the depth of 2500 km and some slabs have impinged on Large Low Shear Velocity Provinces in the deepest mantle. Anomously fast sinking of some slabs occurs in regions affected by long-term plume rising. We conclude that slab remnants eventually sink from the upper mantle to the core-mantle boundary. The range in subduction-age versus - depth in the lower mantle is largely inherited from the upper mantle history of subduction. We find a significant depth variation in average sinking speed of slabs. At the top of the lower mantle average slab sinking speeds are between 10 and 40 mm/yr, followed by a deceleration to 10-15 mm/yr down to depths around 1600-1700 km. In this interval, in situ time-stationary sinking rates suggest deceleration from 20 to 30 mm/yr to 4-8 mm/yr, increasing to 12-15 mm/yr below 2000 km. This corroborates the existence of a slab deceleration zone but we do not observe long-term (> 60 My) slab stagnation, excluding long-term stagnation due to compositional effects. Conversion of slab sinking profiles to viscosity profiles shows the general trend that mantle viscosity increases in the slab deceleration zone below which viscosity slowly decreases in the deep mantle. This is at variance with most published viscosity profiles that are derived from different observations, but agrees qualitatively with recent viscosity profiles suggested

of the mantle and the other mantle tank has the mantle inlet port moved 0.175 m down from the top of the mantle. The thermal performance is almost the same for the two systems in the measuring period of 252 days. The solar fractions were 0.66 and 0.68 for the two systems. The tests showed also that the system...... with the low mantle inlet perform better than the system with the high mantle inlet in periods with low solar fractions, that is in less sunny periods. Further, calculations with a simulation model for low flow SDHW systems based on mantle tanks showed that mantle tanks currently marketed can be greatly...... improved by relatively simple design changes: increasing the height/diameter ratio, reducing the mantle height and increasing the insulation thickness on the sides of t he tank....

Velocimetry (PIV) system. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of the vertical mantle heat exchanger was also developed for a detailed evaluation of the heat flux at the mantle wall and at the tank wall. The flow structure was evaluated for both high and low temperature incoming flows and for both......The flow structure inside the inner tank and inside the mantle of a vertical mantle heat exchanger was investigated using a full-scale tank designed to facilitate flow visualisation. The flow structure and velocities in the inner tank and in the mantle were measured using a Particle Image...... initially mixed and initially stratified inner tank and mantle. The analysis of the heat transfer showed that the flow in the mantle near the inlet is mixed convection flow and that the heat transfer is dependent on the mantle inlet temperature relative to the core tank temperature at the mantle level. (C...

There are currently several hypotheses on the origin of volatile siderophile elements in the Earth. One hypothesis is that they were added during Earth s accretion and core formation and mobilized into the metallic core [1], others claim multiple stage origin [2], while some hypothesize that volatiles were added after the core already formed [3]. Several volatile siderophile elements are depleted in Earth s mantle relative to the chondrites, something which continues to puzzle many scientists. This depletion is likely due to a combination of volatility and core formation. The Earth s core is composed of Fe and some lighter constituents, although the abundances of these lighter elements are unknown [4]. Si is one of these potential light elements [5] although few studies have analyzed the effect of Si on metal-silicate partitioning, in particular the volatile elements. As, In, Ge, and Sb are trace volatile siderophile elements which are depleted in the mantle but have yet to be extensively studied. The metal-silicate partition coefficients of these elements will be measured to determine the effect of Si. Partition coefficients depend on temperature, pressure, oxygen fugacity, and metal and silicate composition and can constrain the concentrations of volatile, siderophile elements found in the mantle. Reported here are the results from 13 experiments examining the partitioning of As, In, Ge, and Sb between metallic and silicate liquid. These experiments will examine the effect of temperature, and metal-composition (i.e., Si content) on these elements in or-der to gain a greater understanding of the core-mantle separation which occurred during the Earth s early stages. The data can then be applied to the origin of volatile elements in the Earth.

A new, faster and more reliable analytical methodology for S(IV) species analysis at low pH solutions by bichromatometry is proposed. For decades the state of the art methodology has been iodometry that is still well justified method for neutral solutions, thus at low pH media possess various side reactions increasing inaccuracy. In contrast, the new methodology has no side reactions at low pH media, requires only one titration step and provides a clear color change if S(IV) species are present in the solution. The method is validated using model solutions with known concentrations and applied to analyses of gaseous SO2 from purged solution in low pH media samples. The results indicate that bichromatometry can accurately analyze SO2 from liquid samples having pH even below 0 relevant to metallurgical industrial processes.

This 2011 Article IV Consultation highlights that the growth momentum in Uruguay has continued into 2011 but a slowdown is under way, led by weaker exports and slower public investment. Uruguay’s economic and financial vulnerabilities are modest, and the government has reduced debt vulnerabilities significantly and built important financial buffers. Executive Directors have commended authorities’ skillful macroeconomic management that has underpinned Uruguay’s excellent economic performance, ...

A 15-year-old adolescent boy was referred by an orthopaedic surgeon for treatment of right gluteal and thigh pain. Following treatment that reduced his pain, he experienced acute onset of bilateral radiculopathy. He was referred back to the physician, who ordered radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging, which identified a grade IV isthmic spondylolisthesis at the L5-S1 level. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(12):971. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7547.

We present the generation of primordial continental crust (TTG rocks) using self-consistent and evolutionary thermochemical mantle convection models (Tackley, PEPI 2008). Numerical modelling commonly shows that mantle convection and continents have strong feedbacks on each other. However in most studies, continents are inserted a priori while basaltic (oceanic) crust is generated self-consistently in some models (Lourenco et al., EPSL 2016). Formation of primordial continental crust happened by fractional melting and crystallisation in episodes of relatively rapid growth from late Archean to late Proterozoic eras (3-1 Ga) (Hawkesworth & Kemp, Nature 2006) and it has also been linked to the onset of plate tectonics around 3 Ga. It takes several stages of differentiation to generate Tonalite-Trondhjemite-Granodiorite (TTG) rocks or proto-continents. First, the basaltic magma is extracted from the pyrolitic mantle which is both erupted at the surface and intruded at the base of the crust. Second, it goes through eclogitic transformation and then partially melts to form TTGs (Rudnick, Nature 1995; Herzberg & Rudnick, Lithos 2012). TTGs account for the majority of the Archean continental crust. Based on the melting conditions proposed by Moyen (Lithos 2011), the feasibility of generating TTG rocks in numerical simulations has already been demonstrated by Rozel et al. (Nature, 2017). Here, we have developed the code further by parameterising TTG formation. We vary the ratio of intrusive (plutonic) and extrusive (volcanic) magmatism (Crisp, Volcanol. Geotherm. 1984) to study the relative volumes of three petrological TTG compositions as reported from field data (Moyen, Lithos 2011). Furthermore, we systematically vary parameters such as friction coefficient, initial core temperature and composition-dependent viscosity to investigate the global tectonic regime of early Earth. Continental crust can also be destroyed by subduction or delamination. We will investigate

During the Cenozoic, the geodynamics of the western Mediterranean domain has been characterized by a complex history of subduction of Mesozoic oceanic lithosphere. The final stage of these processes is proposed to have led to the development of the Calabria and Gibraltar arcs, whose formation is still under debate. In this study, we take advantage of the dense broad-band station networks now available in the Alborán Sea region, to develop a high-resolution 3-D tomographic P velocity model of the upper mantle beneath the African/Iberian collision zone that will better constraint the past dynamics of this zone. The model is based on 13200 teleseismic arrival times recorded between 2008 and 2012 at 279 stations for which cross-correlation delays are measured with a new technique in different frequency bands centred between 0.03 and 1.0 Hz, and for the first time interpreted using multiple frequency tomography. Our model shows, beneath the Alborán Sea, a strong (4 per cent) fast vertically dipping anomaly observed to at least 650 km depth. The arched shape of this anomaly, and its extent at depth, are coherent with a lithospheric slab, thus favouring the hypothesis of a westward consumption of the Ligurian ocean slab by roll-back during Cenozoic. In addition to this fast anomaly in the deep upper mantle, high intensity slow anomalies are widespread in the lithosphere and asthenosphere beneath Morocco and southern Spain. These anomalies are correlated at the surface with the position of the Rif and Atlas orogens and with Cenozoic volcanic fields. We thus confirm the presence, beneath Morocco, of an anomalous (hot?) upper mantle, but without clear indication for a lateral spreading of the Canary plume to the east.

During Cenozoic, geodynamics of the western Mediterranean domain has been characterized by a complex history of subduction of Mesozoic oceanic lithosphere. The final stage of these processes is proposed to have led to the development of the Calabria and Gibraltar arcs, whose formation is still under debate. In this study we take advantage of the dense broadband-station networks now available in Alborán Sea region, to develop a high-resolution 3D tomographic P velocity model of the upper mantle beneath the African/Iberian collision zone that will bring new constraints on the past dynamics of this zone. The model is based on 13200 teleseismic arrival times recorded between 2008 and 2012 at 279 stations for which cross-correlation delays are measured with a new technique in different frequency bands centered between 0.03 and 1.0 Hz, and interpreted using multiple frequency tomography. Our model shows, beneath Alborán Sea, a strong (~ 4%) fast vertically dipping anomaly observed to at least 650 km depth. The arched shape of this anomaly and its extent at depth are coherent with a lithospheric slab, thus favoring the hypothesis of a westward consumption of the Ligurian ocean slab by roll-back during Cenozoic. In addition to this fast anomaly in the deep upper-mantle, several high intensity slow anomalies are widely observed in the lithosphere and asthenosphere beneath Morocco and southern Spain. These anomalies are correlated at surface with the position of the orogens (Rif and Atlas) and with Cenozoic volcanic fields. We thus confirm the presence, beneath Morocco, of an anomalous (hot) upper mantle, with piece of evidence for a lateral connection with the Canary volcanic islands, likely indicating a lateral spreading of the Canary plume to the east.

Archean mafic-ultramafic melts, crystallized as layered intrusions in the upper crust and extruded as komatiitic flows, are primary probes of upper mantle chemistry. However, the message from their primary chemical composition can be compromised by different modes of contamination. Contaminants are typically cryptic in terms of their geochemical and isotopic signals but may be related to metasomatised mantle sources, ambient crustal assimilation or subduction-related inputs. In this work we present critical evidence for both dry and wet Archean mantle sources for two juxtaposed layered intrusions in the Australian Yilgarn Craton. The ca. 2813 Ma Windimurra and ca. 2800 Ma Narndee Igneous Complexes in Western Australia are two adjacent layered intrusions and would be expected to derive via similar mantle sections. A key difference in their chemistry is the presence of crystal-bound water in the Narndee Igneous Complex, represented primarily by abundant hornblende. Such a primary hydrous phase is notably absent in the Windimurra Igneous Complex. New 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages for fresh Narndee hornblende (weighted mean: 2805 ± 14 Ma, MSWD = 1.8, probability = 0.18) agrees with the published U-Pb age of 2800 ± 6 Ma for the complex and is consistent with a magmatic origin for this phase. Zircon Hf and whole-rock Hf and Nd isotopes for the Narndee Igneous Complex indicate only minor crustal contamination, in agreement with H and O isotope values in amphibole and O isotope values in rare zircon crystals, plagioclase and pyroxene within both complexes. These findings illustrate a fast temporal transition, in proximal bodies, from anhydrous to hydrous mantle sources with very minor crustal contamination. These large layered mafic-ultramafic intrusions are igneous bodies with a primitive chemical bulk composition that requires large degrees of mantle melting. This has been attributed by many workers to mantle plume activity, yet not without dispute, as subduction-related flux

The physical properties of the asthenosphere (e.g., seismic velocity, viscosity, electrical conductivity) have been attributed to either mineral properties at relevant temperature, pressure, and water content or to the presence of a low melt fraction. We resort to the geochemical studies of MORB to unravel the composition of the asthenosphere. It is important to determine to what extent the geochemical variations in axial MORB do represent a homogeneous mantle composition and variations in the physical conditions of magma generation and transport; or alternatively, they represent mixing of melts from a heterogeneous upper mantle. Lavas from intra-transform faults and off-axis seamounts share a common mantle source with axial MORB, but experience less differentiation and homogenization. Therefore they provide better estimates for the end-member volatile budget of the heterogeneous upper mantle. We present major, trace, and volatile element data (H2O, CO2, Cl, F, S) as well as Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopic compositions [1, 2] of basaltic glasses (MgO > 6.0 wt%) from the NEPR seamounts, Quebrada-Discovery-Gofar transform fault system, and Macquarie Island. The samples range from incompatible trace element (ITE) depleted (DMORB: Th/La0.07) spanning the entire range of EPR MORB. The isotopic composition of the samples correlates with the degree of trace element enrichment indicating long-lived mantle heterogeneity. Once shallow-level processes (degassing, crystallization, and crustal assimilation) have been considered, we conducted a two-component (DMORB- and EMORB-) mantle melting-mixing model. Our model reproduces the major, trace and volatile element contents and isotopic composition of our samples and suggests that (1) 90% of the upper mantle is highly depleted in ITE (DMORB source) with only 10% of an enriched component (EMORB source), (2) the EMORB source is peridotitic rather than pyroxenitic, and (3) NMORB do not represent an actual mantle source, but the product of

High pressure-temperature experiments are performed at pressures of 2 to 10 GPa and temperatures of 900 to 1600 °C to constrain partial melting of carbonate bearing mantle eclogite and peridotite. Eclogite and peridotite in the presence of CO2 is observed to produce carbonatitic melts at their respective solidi for most parts of Earth's upper mantle. The solidus of carbonated eclogite at 3 GPa is observed to vary significantly with bulk Ca/Mg and Na2O content. But the appropriate solidus of carbonated ocean crust remains hotter than the subduction geotherms up to 260 km, indicating subduction of carbon, in the form of magnesite-eclogite, deep into the mantle. Upwelling mantle eclogite, on the other hand, must release carbonatite at depths >350 km. From experiments at 3 GPa, it is found that carbonated eclogite can generate silicate partial melts that can give rise to silica-undersaturated ocean island lavas. Solidus of carbonated peridotite from 3 to 10 GPa indicates that along an oceanic geotherm, the onset of partial melting happens shallower than that of carbonated eclogite, but still as deep as 300-330 km beneath ridges. Extraction of incipient carbonatite from deep mantle implies efficient removal of highly incompatible trace elements, including carbon, from the mantle. This deep melting likely creates a vast mantle residue that is depleted and fractionated in important trace elements and also might explain many geophysical features of Earth's deep upper mantle. Experiments with peridotite of variable carbonate concentrations also indicate that increasing CO2, unlike H2O, does not cause the isobaric solidus of carbonated peridotite to decrease. Using a new method of iterative sandwich experiments, the detailed composition of near-solidus melt from carbonated peridotite is determined at 6.6 GPa. Near-solidus melt of peridotite + CO2 at a depth of ˜200 km is Fe-Na bearing magnesio-dolomitic carbonatite. Transition from near-solidus carbonatite to carbonated

The Sm-Nd systematics in a variety of mantle-derived samples including kimberlites, alnoite, carbonatite, pyroxene and amphibole inclusions in alkali basalts and xenolithic eclogites, granulites and a pyroxene megacryst in kimberlites are reported. The additional data on kimberlites strengthen our earlier conclusion that kimberlites are derived from a relatively undifferentiated chondritic mantle source. This conclusion is based on the observation that the e{open}Nd values of most of the kimberlites are near zero. In contrast with the kimberlites, their garnet lherzolite inclusions show both time-averaged Nd enrichment and depletion with respect to Sm. Separated clinopyroxenes in eclogite xenoliths from the Roberts Victor kimberlite pipe show both positive and negative e{open}Nd values suggesting different genetic history. A whole rock lower crustal scapolite granulite xenolith from the Matsoku kimberlite pipe shows a negative e{open}Nd value of -4.2, possibly representative of the base of the crust in Lesotho. It appears that all inclusions, mafic and ultramafic, in kimberlites are unrelated to their kimberlite host. The above data and additional Sm-Nd data on xenoliths in alkali basalts, alpine peridotite and alnoite-carbonatites are used to construct a model for the upper 200 km of the earth's mantle - both oceanic and continental. The essential feature of this model is the increasing degree of fertility of the mantle with depth. The kimberlite's source at depths below 200 km in the subcontinental mantle is the most primitive in this model, and this primitive layer is also extended to the suboceanic mantle. However, it is clear from the Nd-isotopic data in the xenoliths of the continental kimberlites that above 200 km the continental mantle is distinctly different from their suboceanic counterpart. ?? 1980 Springer-Verlag.

Knowledge of the state of the Earth mantle and its temporal evolution is fundamental to a variety of disciplines in Earth Sciences, from the internal dynamics to its many expressions in the geological record (postglacial rebound, sea level change, ore deposit, tectonics or geomagnetic reversals). Mantle convection theory is the centerpiece to unravel the present and past state of the mantle. For the past 40 years considerable efforts have been made to improve the quality of numerical models of mantle convection. However, they are still sparsely used to estimate the convective history of the solid Earth, in comparison to ocean or atmospheric models for weather and climate prediction. The main shortcoming is their inability to successfully produce Earth-like seafloor spreading and continental drift self-consistently. Recent convection models have begun to successfully predict these processes. Such breakthrough opens the opportunity to retrieve the recent dynamics of the Earth's mantle by blending convection models together with advanced geological datasets. A proof of concept will be presented, consisting in a synthetic test based on a sequential data assimilation methodology.

Ten inguinal lymph nodes and spleens from autopsies were chosen according to age decades in order to get an idea about usual appearance of follicular structures. The group was complemented by 4 palatine tonsils from routine biopsies. Phenotype was ascertained by using about 30 standard markers and results were compared with a basic histocytological picture. The appearance of lymphatic tissue was quite different according to location and age categories, nevertheless, there were common immunophenotypic and structural features of follicular mantle in younger persons. It mostly comprised four cellular layers, more conspicuous at the upper pole of the follicle. An innermost layer was small-celled blastic, MB 2 and IgD positive, the next B monocytoid layer had medium sized cells of a similar phenotype but more alc, phosphatase positive. An inconstant plasmacytoid layer and a clarocellular layer used to be incomplete. It was cytostructurally characteristic but immunohistologically non-standard (faint CD 19 et CD 20 positivity). T 4 lymphocytes and perhaps some other elements leaving germinal centres were admixed into the inner mantle layer. Various small lymphoid cells, especially T 8 lymphocytes and sometimes litoral cells, were admixed into mantle periphery. Mutual exchange of lymphatic cells between the germinal and mantle zones was very scant. The mantle zone is presumed therefore to be independent from the structural and functional point of view as well.

The Earth's mantle beneath ocean ridges is widely thought to be depleted by previous melt extraction, but well homogenized by convective stirring. This inference of homogeneity has been complicated by the occurrence of portions enriched in incompatible elements. Here we show that some refractory abyssal peridotites from the ultraslow-spreading Gakkel ridge (Arctic Ocean) have very depleted 187Os/188Os ratios with model ages up to 2 billion years, implying the long-term preservation of refractory domains in the asthenospheric mantle rather than their erasure by mantle convection. The refractory domains would not be sampled by mid-ocean-ridge basalts because they contribute little to the genesis of magmas. We thus suggest that the upwelling mantle beneath mid-ocean ridges is highly heterogeneous, which makes it difficult to constrain its composition by mid-ocean-ridge basalts alone. Furthermore, the existence of ancient domains in oceanic mantle suggests that using osmium model ages to constrain the evolution of continental lithosphere should be approached with caution.

We present a study of the dynamical behavior of a molten core inside the Moon related to the mantle by inertial coupling. In order to integrate the lunar core-mantle interaction in a realistic model of the Moon's rotation we have used our SONYR (acronym of Spin-Orbit N-bodY Relativistic) model of the solar System including the Moon's spin-orbit motion. This model was previously built in accordance with the requirements of the Lunar Laser Ranging observational accuracy. We have extended this model to the spin-orbit couplings of the terrestrial planets in order to compare different dynamical behaviors of core-mantle interactions in these planets (Mercury Venus Earth and Mars). Our core-mantle mechanism prove to be adequate to excite the two resonant frequencies of the lunar physical librations namely 2.9 and 80.1 years. Signature of such a core with for instance a 1/10 homothetic ratio appears clearly on the proper rotation angle; the amplitude is then around 12 milliarcseconds and its period 2.9 years. Besides we present the results obtained for various lunar nucleus radii and various initial nutations of the core relatively to the mantle. Other computations and comparisons are in progress involving Mercury the Earth and Mars.

The transition from the Archaean to the Proterozoic eon ended a period of great instability at the Earth's surface. The origin of this transition could be a change in the dynamic regime of the Earth's interior. Here we use laboratory experiments to investigate the solidus of samples representative of the Archaean upper mantle. Our two complementary in situ measurements of the melting curve reveal a solidus that is 200-250 K lower than previously reported at depths higher than about 100 km. Such a lower solidus temperature makes partial melting today easier than previously thought, particularly in the presence of volatiles (H2O and CO2). A lower solidus could also account for the early high production of melts such as komatiites. For an Archaean mantle that was 200-300 K hotter than today, significant melting is expected at depths from 100-150 km to more than 400 km. Thus, a persistent layer of melt may have existed in the Archaean upper mantle. This shell of molten material may have progressively disappeared because of secular cooling of the mantle. Crystallization would have increased the upper mantle viscosity and could have enhanced mechanical coupling between the lithosphere and the asthenosphere. Such a change might explain the transition from surface dynamics dominated by a stagnant lid on the early Earth to modern-like plate tectonics with deep slab subduction.

In the past six million years, Baja California has rifted obliquely apart from North America, opening up the Gulf of California. Between transform faults, seafloor spreading and rifting is well established in several basins. Other than hotspot-dominated Iceland, the Gulf of California is the only part of the world's seafloor-spreading system that has been surrounded by enough seismometers to provide horizontal resolution of upper-mantle structure at a scale of 100 kilometres over a distance great enough to include several spreading segments. Such resolution is needed to address the long-standing debate about the relative importance of dynamic and passive upwelling in the shallow mantle beneath spreading centres. Here we use Rayleigh-wave tomography to image the shear velocity in the upper 200 kilometres or so of the mantle. Low shear velocities similar to those beneath the East Pacific Rise oceanic spreading centre underlie the entire length of the Gulf, but there are three concentrated locations of anomalously low velocities spaced about 250 kilometres apart. These anomalies are 40 to 90 kilometres beneath the surface, at which depths petrological studies indicate that extensive melting of passively upwelling mantle should begin. We interpret these seismic velocity anomalies as indicating that partial melting triggers dynamic upwelling driven by either the buoyancy of retained melt or by the reduced density of depleted mantle.

The upper subcontinental lithospheric mantle below the French Massif Central is more oxidized than the average continental lithosphere, although the origin of this anomaly remains unknown. Using iron oxidation analysis in clinopyroxene, oxybarometry, and melt inclusions in mantle xenoliths, we show that widespread infiltration of volatile (HCSO)-rich silicic melts played a major role in this oxidation. We propose the first comprehensive model of magmatism and mantle oxidation at an intraplate setting. Two oxidizing events occurred: (1) a 365–286 Ma old magmatic episode that produced alkaline vaugnerites, potassic lamprophyres, and K-rich calc-alkaline granitoids, related to the N–S Rhenohercynian subduction, and (2) < 30 Ma old magmatism related to W–E extension, producing carbonatites and hydrous potassic trachytes. These melts were capable of locally increasing the subcontinental lithospheric mantle fO2 to FMQ + 2.4. Both events originate from the melting of a metasomatized lithosphere containing carbonate + phlogopite ± amphibole. The persistence of this volatile-rich lithospheric source implies the potential for new episodes of volatile-rich magmatism. Similarities with worldwide magmatism also show that the importance of volatiles and the oxidation of the mantle in intraplate regions is underestimated.

Hot-spots are anomalous regions of magmatism that cannot be directly associated with plate tectonic processes (e.g. Morgan, 1972). They are widely regarded as the surface expression of upwelling mantle plumes. Hot-spots exhibit variable life-spans, magmatic productivity and fixity (e.g. Ito and van Keken, 2007). This suggests that a wide-range of upwelling structures coexist within Earth's mantle, a view supported by geochemical and seismic evidence, but, thus far, not reproduced by numerical models. Here, results from a new, global, 3-D spherical, mantle convection model are presented, which better reconcile hot-spot observations, the key modification from previous models being increased convective vigor. Model upwellings show broad-ranging dynamics; some drift slowly, while others are more mobile, displaying variable life-spans, intensities and migration velocities. Such behavior is consistent with hot-spot observations, indicating that the mantle must be simulated at the correct vigor and in the appropriate geometry to reproduce Earth-like dynamics. Thermally-driven mantle plumes can explain the principal features of hot-spot volcanism on Earth.

To study the significance of nm23, collagen IV and PCNA expressions in non-small cell lung cancer. Expressions of the nm23, collagen IV and PCNA in 84 cases of non-small cell lung cancer were examined with SP immunohistochemical technique. Of the 84 cases, there were squamous cell carcinoma 42, adenocarcinoma 42, stage I 27, stage II 24, stage III 24, and stageIV 9. Statistical analysis was performed with Chi-Square test. Expressions of the nm23, collagen IV and PCNA in 84 cases of non-small cell lung cancer were 60. 7% ( 51/ 84) , 75. 0% ( 63/ 84) and 53. 6% ( 45/ 84) respectively. There was negative correlation between the lymph node metastasis and the expressions of nm23 and collagen IV in squamous cell carcinoma, and the expressions of collagen IV and PCNA were associated with tumor differentiation. No correlation was found between TNM stage and expressions of nm23, collagen IV and PCNA. The results indicate that nm23, collagen IV and PCNA participate the modulation of metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer and that they may be used to evaluate the potential of metastasis.

modified oceanic crust throughout the initial stages of the Farallón-Aluk ridge collision during Paleocene to Eocene time. However, based on the tectonic evolution of southern South America, we cannot exclude the influence of long-lived subduction events beneath south Patagonia. Although we believe that the studied samples were brought to the surface in this geodynamic context, there is no evidence that ocean island basalt (OIB)-like melts related to the Farallón-Aluk asthenospheric slab window affected the peridotite composition. The host alkaline basalt is a single unit with a HIMU-like OIB signature characterized by marked positive Nb-Ta anomalies coupled with negative anomalies in highly incompatible and fluid-mobile elements (Rb, K, Pb, and Sr). The compositional similarity between the HIMU-like OIB mantle source and the host basalt is also evident from trace element ratios [(Ba-Th-K-La-Zr)/Nb] as well as by the low 87Sr/86Sri (0.703039-0.703058) and relatively high 143Nd/144Ndi (0.512880-0.512874) and 206Pb/204Pb (19.333-19.389) isotopic ratios. The low 206Pb/204Pb ratios compared to end-member HIMU lavas (e.g., Sta. Helena and the Cook-Austral Islands) suggest that this region was modified by processes associated with a prolonged period of subduction related to the Andean orogenesis and the recycling of several oceanic plates beneath the continent, following the Mesozoic breakup of Gondwana or an even older subduction-related event with young recycling ages (< 2 Ga).

Peridotites from ultraslow-spreading ridges preserve signatures of the depleted mantle, while also reflecting the fine scale compositional variability present in the mantle. Traditional analyses of these depleted rocks have focused on clinopyroxene, the main trace element host in spinel peridotites. However, key isotopic systems, such as lead and osmium, are hosted in other phases at low but significant concentration levels. The amount of lead contained within mantle mineral phases is of critical importance to understanding the long-term evolution of the Earth, because the radiogenic isotopes of lead are sensitive to past material cycling and melt-rock interaction. Sulfides have long been suggested as the main host for lead (Pb) in the mantle, but recent studies have demonstrated that Pb is not exclusively hosted in this trace phase. Therefore, the Pb contents of the major peridotite mineral phases (olivine, orthopyroxene, and clinopyroxene) need to be reassessed. Lead concentration data is available for orogenic and xenolith peridotite samples, which are typically more enriched than abyssal peridotites, but these do not provide direct information on the oceanic upper mantle. Direct measurement of Pb in abyssal peridotites has so far been limited because of its extremely low concentration (often spreading Gakkel and Southwest Indian Ridges (SWIR), with samples coming from segments with full spreading rates Gakkel and SWIR samples are relatively unaltered (Gakkel. A total of five Gakkel and six SWIR peridotites were analyzed by LA-ICP-MS, with a subset of samples also analyzed for bulk rock trace elements by solution ICP-MS. Combined with mineral modal data, this study provides a direct comparison of measured and calculated bulk rock Pb concentrations to determine a comprehensive assessment of the distribution of Pb among upper mantle phases Results indicate that all three of the main mantle mineral phases have similar Pb concentrations, ranging from 2-20 ppb, which

Synchronous occurrence of malignant lymphoma and carcinoma, both located in the intestinal tract, is unusual. We report a unique case of an adenocarcinoma of the cecum and a simultaneous mantle cell lymphoma of the colon, terminal ileum, and regional lymph nodes in an 85-year-old man. Grossly, the adenocarcinoma was identified as a cecal mass. Lymphomatous involvement of the gastrointestinal tract was evident only on microscopic examination. The terminal ileum and colon showed microscopic disseminated multiple mucosal nodules, with involvement of the regional lymph nodes. There was no involvement of distant organs, suggesting that the mantle cell lymphoma was early in its evolution without formation of polyps or a mass lesion. To our knowledge, this is the fourth reported case with this association and the second case that showed early involvement of the gastrointestinal tract with mantle cell lymphoma without polyp formation.

Subduction zone magmas are characterized by high concentrations of dissolved H2O, presumably derived from the subducted plate and ultimately responsible for melt generation in this tectonic setting. Almost ten years ago, Stolper and Newman (EPSL, 1994) illustrated a linear relationship between the concentration of water (H2Oo) and the fraction of melting (F) in the mantle beneath the Mariana back-arc. Here we report new major element and volatile data for olivine-hosted melt inclusions from the Mariana Islands to test this relationship for melting beneath an arc. Basaltic melt inclusions from the Mariana arc have water contents (2.3-6.1 wt% H2O) significantly higher than all basaltic glasses or melt inclusions from the Mariana back-arc (0.2-2.2 wt% H2O). We use TiO2 as a proxy for F, after correcting for crystal fractionation, and evaluate the Ti source composition with a model based on Ti/Y variations in mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs). Each calculated F thus represents the amount of mantle melting for a single melting episode. Even after accounting for mantle depletion, the TiO2 concentrations in Mariana arc magmas record higher extents of mantle melting (F = 10-30%) than recorded in back-arc magmas (F = 5-24%). As a whole, the Mariana arc broadly extends the linear H2Oo-F array defined by the back-arc, although in detail the islands show important differences. Two islands from the Mariana arc (Guguan and Pagan) define a H2Oo-F slope similar to the Mariana back-arc, suggesting similar mantle potential temperature beneath the arc and back-arc ( ˜1360 +/- 20° C). Melts from Agrigan island, however, indicate a steeper slope suggestive both of cooler mantle beneath Agrigan and of along-strike thermal variations beneath the Mariana Islands. Both the arc and back-arc arrays project to finite F at zero water in the mantle, providing evidence for decompression melting in both settings. These relationships may be extended globally to other back-arc and arc systems

A 65-year old patient, with no medical history, was admitted for lower gastrointestinal bleeding. On clinical examination the patient seemed to be in good health. However the examination was completed with a rectosigmoidoscopy revealing the presence of mucosal erosions, ulcerations, multiple papulae. The histopathological examination raised the suspicion of a colonic lymphoma. Gastric biopsies suggested a gastric MALT type lymphoma associated to the colonic lymphoma, but the immunohistochemical profile corresponded to a mantle cell lymphoma. In spite of the general poor prognosis of mantle cell lymphoma, our patient had a good clinical and endoscopic response to the standard cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone (CVP) therapy. The cases of gastric and colonic mantle lymphoma are rare, the response to therapy is poor; fortunately, our patient had a complete resolution after completion of the six cycles of chemotherapy.

We present new ultra-high precision {sup 142}Nd/{sup 144}Nd measurements of early Archaean rocks using the new generation thermal ionization mass spectrometer TRITON. Repeated measurements of the Ames Nd standard demonstrate that the {sup 142}Nd/{sup 144}Nd ratio can be determined with external precision of 2 ppm (2s), allowing confident resolution of anomalies as small as 5 ppm. A major analytical improvement lies in the elimination of the double normalization procedure required to correct our former measurements from a secondary mass fractionation effect. Our new results indicate that metasediments, meta-basalts and orthogneisses from the 3.6 - 3.8 Ga West Greenland craton display positive {sup 142}Nd anomalies ranging from 8 to 15 ppm. Using a simple two-stage model with initial e{sup 143}Nd value of 1.9 {+-} 0.6 e-units, coupled {sup 147}Sm-{sup 143}Nd and {sup 146}Sm-{sup 142}Nd chronometry constrains mantle differentiation to 50 to 200 Ma after formation of the solar system. This chronological constraint is consistent with differentiation of the Earth's mantle during the late stage of crystallization of a magma ocean. We have developed a two-box model describing {sup 142}Nd and {sup 143}Nd isotopic evolution of depleted mantle during the subsequent evolution of the crust-mantle system. Our results indicate that early terrestrial proto-crust had a lifetime of ca. 500 Ma in order to produce the observed Nd isotope signature of Archaean rocks. In the context of this two box mantle-crust system, we model the evolution of isotopic and chemical heterogeneity of depleted mantle as a function of the mantle stirring time. Using the dispersion of {sup 142}Nd/{sup 144}Nd and {sup 143}Nd/{sup 144}Nd ratios observed in early Archaean rocks, we constrain the stirring time of early Earth's mantle to 100 - 150 Ma, a factor of 5 to 10 shorter than stirring time inferred from modern oceanic basalts. (author)

Iron may critically influence the physical properties and thermochemical structures of Earth's lower mantle. Its effects on thermal conductivity, with possible consequences on heat transfer and mantle dynamics, however, remain largely unknown. We measured the lattice thermal conductivity of lower-mantle ferropericlase to 120 GPa using the ultrafast optical pump-probe technique in a diamond anvil cell. The thermal conductivity of ferropericlase with 56% iron significantly drops by a factor of 1.8 across the spin transition around 53 GPa, while that with 8-10% iron increases monotonically with pressure, causing an enhanced iron substitution effect in the low-spin state. Combined with bridgmanite data, modeling of our results provides a self-consistent radial profile of lower-mantle thermal conductivity, which is dominated by pressure, temperature, and iron effects, and shows a twofold increase from top to bottom of the lower mantle. Such increase in thermal conductivity may delay the cooling of the core, while its decrease with iron content may enhance the dynamics of large low shear-wave velocity provinces. Our findings further show that, if hot and strongly enriched in iron, the seismic ultralow velocity zones have exceptionally low conductivity, thus delaying their cooling.

Several U series nuclides have half-lives (230Th, 76 kyr; 231Pa, 33 kyr; and 226Ra, 1.6 kyr) comparable to timescales of magmatic processes. We review the basic principles of extracting time information from U series nuclides and summarize variations in (230Th/238U), (226Ra/230Th), and (231Pa/235U) observed in magmas from mid-ocean ridges, within-plate settings, and subduction zones to contrast melt generation processes in different tectonic settings. U series disequilibria on melt and crystal phases of igneous rocks can provide temporal information on different stages in the magmatic history (melting duration, melt transport rates, magmatic crustal residence times, and timing of crystal growth) and potentially provide clues about the nature and mineralogy of mantle sources, mantle upwelling rates and porosity, fluid influences, and mechanisms of melt generation and transport. The subject is beginning to take a genuinely integrated approach to developing physically realistic quantitative models that offer increasingly exciting opportunities in the study of magmatic processes.

Full Text Available Abstract Background B-cell lymphomas are thought to reflect different stages of B-cell maturation. Based on cytogenetics and molecular markers, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL is presumed to derive predominantly from naïve, pre-germinal centre (pre-GC B lymphocytes. The aim of this study was to develop a method to investigate the similarity between MCL cells and different B-cell compartments on a protein expression level. Methods Subpopulations of B cells representing the germinal centre (GC, the pre-GC mantle zone and the post-GC marginal zone were isolated from tonsils using automated magnetic cell sorting (AutoMACS of cells based on their expression of CD27 and IgD. Protein profiling of the B cell subsets, of cell lines representing different lymphomas and of primary MCL samples was performed using top-down proteomics profiling by surface-enhanced laser detection/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS. Results Quantitative MS data of significant protein peaks (p-value Conclusion AutoMACS sorting generates sufficient purity to enable a comparison between protein profiles of B cell subpopulations and malignant B lymphocytes applying SELDI-TOF-MS. Further validation with an increased number of patient samples and identification of differentially expressed proteins would enable a search for possible treatment targets that are expressed during the early development of MCL.

Side-by-side tests of two small low flow SDHW systems based on mantle tanks have been carried out under the same test conditions in a laboratory test facility. The systems are identical with exception of the mantle tanks. One of the mantle tanks has the mantle inlet port located at the top of the...... improved by relatively simple design changes: increasing the height/diameter ratio, reducing the mantle height and increasing the insulation thickness on the sides of t he tank.......Side-by-side tests of two small low flow SDHW systems based on mantle tanks have been carried out under the same test conditions in a laboratory test facility. The systems are identical with exception of the mantle tanks. One of the mantle tanks has the mantle inlet port located at the top...... of the mantle and the other mantle tank has the mantle inlet port moved 0.175 m down from the top of the mantle. The thermal performance is almost the same for the two systems in the measuring period of 252 days. The solar fractions were 0.66 and 0.68 for the two systems. The tests showed also that the system...

Ultraslow spreading at mid-ocean ridges limits melting due to on-axis conductive cooling, leading to the prediction that peridotites from these ridges are relatively fertile. To test this, we examined abyssal peridotites from the Gakkel Ridge, the slowest spreading ridge in the global ocean ridge system. Major and trace element concentrations in pyroxene and olivine minerals are reported for 14 dredged abyssal peridotite samples from the Sparsely Magmatic (SMZ) and Eastern Volcanic (EVZ) Zones. We observe large compositional variations among peridotites from the same dredge and among dredges in close proximity to each other. Modeling of lherzolite trace element compositions indicates varying degrees of non-modal fractional mantle melting, whereas most harzburgite samples require open-system melting involving interaction with a percolating melt. All peridotite chemistry suggests significant melting that would generate a thick crust, which is inconsistent with geophysical observations at Gakkel Ridge. The refractory harzburgites and thin overlying oceanic crust are best explained by low present-day melting of a previously melted heterogeneous mantle. Observed peridotite compositional variations and evidence for melt infiltration demonstrates that fertile mantle components are present and co-existing with infertile mantle components. Melt generated in the Gakkel mantle becomes trapped on short length-scales, which produces selective enrichments in very incompatible rare earth elements. Melt migration and extraction may be significantly controlled by the thick lithosphere induced by cooling at such slow spreading rates. We propose the heterogeneous mantle that exists beneath Gakkel Ridge is the consequence of ancient melting, combined with subsequent melt percolation and entrapment.

It is clear from observations of differentiation producing oceanic crust and depleted residue, and its ultimate subduction that compositional heterogeneity does exist in the mantle. An important question for mantle dynamics however, is how important is this composition? Compositional variations have been attributed to be critical for explaining many dynamical aspects of mantle upwellings as evidenced in hot-spots, such as their relative fixity (Jellinek and Manga, 2004) and non-steady upwelling velocity (Lin and van Keken, 2005). They have also been attributed to causing peaks in magma production. Our modeling work in spherical geometry shows that a wide variety of upwelling behaviour can be produced in models that have NO compositional variations and are only driven by thermal anomalies. The critical component of this family of models is a high, Earth-like Rayleigh number. Our models have also reproduced time varying magma production on a long time-scale in thermal convection models. The critical element is again a very high Rayleigh number, but this time combined with a realistic Clapeyron slope at the 660km discontinuity. Schuberth et al., 2009, have also shown that composition is not required to explain some of the seismic signatures of mantle convection models either, including at the base of the mantle. While, as stated initially, composition must play a role, we would argue that given that much of the supposedly ‘non-thermal' behaviour can be explained by thermal models that the simplest current paradigm is to assume thermally driven convection. A further advantage of this class of model is that there are fewer degrees of freedom in comparing the geodynamics models with seismology, and therefore tighter tests will be possible. While there are other arguments for compositional variations close to the core-mantle boundary and in the upper boundary / lithosphere; tests from simpler models could help to refine and bound the degree of compositional variation

The determination of uranium (IV) concentration in acid solutions in the presence of U (IV), Fe (II) and Ti (IV) by spectrophotometry is studied, aiming at controlling the solutions in the ion exchange columns, used for uranium enrichment by isotope exchange. (E.G.) [pt

were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) (n¿=¿111) in addition to a Danish data set (n¿=¿37). All patients had stages II and III colon cancers. A Prediction Analysis of Microarray classifier, based on the 128-gene signature and the original training set of stage I (n¿=¿65) and stageIV (n......¿=¿76) colon cancers, was reproduced. The stages II and III colon cancers were subsequently classified as either stage I-like (good prognosis) or stageIV-like (poor prognosis) and assessed by the 36 months cumulative incidence of relapse. RESULTS: In the GEO data set, results were reproducible in stage...... correctly predicted as stageIV-like, and the remaining patients were predicted as stage I-like and unclassifiable, respectively. Stage II patients could not be stratified. CONCLUSIONS: The 128-gene signature showed reproducibility in stage III colon cancer, but could not predict recurrence in stage II...

The global geochemical carbon cycle involves exchange between the Earth’s mantle and the surface. Carbon (C) is recycled into the mantle via subduction and released to the atmosphere via volcanic outgassing. Carbonates are the main C-bearing minerals that are transported deep in the Earth’s mantle via subduction of the oceanic lithosphere [1]. The way C is recycled and its contribution to the lower mantle reservoir is however largely unknown [ e.g 2, 3]. In this respect, it is important to assess if carbonates can be preserved in the deep mantle, or if decarbonatation, melting or reduction play a role in the deep carbon cycle. To clarify the fate of carbonates in the deep mantle, we carried out high-pressure and high-temperature experiments up to 105 GPa and 2850 K. Natural Fe-Mg carbonates or oxide mixtures of (Mg,Fe)O + CO2 were loaded into laser heated diamond anvil cells. In situ characterizations were done by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) using synchrotron radiation at the high-pressure beamline ID27 of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. A focused ion beam technique was then used to prepare the recovered samples for electron energy loss spectroscopy in a dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope (EELS-STEM) and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM). In situ XRD clearly shows the transformation of the initial carbonate phase into a new Mg-Fe high pressure carbonate phase at lower mantle conditions. We also provide direct evidence for recombination of CO2 with (Mg,Fe)O to form this new carbonate structure. In addition, subsequent EELS-STEM and STXM spectroscopies carried out on recovered samples yields C K-edge and stoechiometry characteristic to this new carbonate structure. This new high pressure phase concentrates a large amount of Fe(III), as a result of redox reactions within the siderite-rich carbonate. The oxidation of iron is balanced by partial reduction of carbon into CO groups and/or diamond. These reactions may provide an

Studying of the uppermost mantle beneath the northern Fennoscandia is based on the data of the POLENET/LAPNET passive seismic array. Firstly, arrivals of P-waves of teleseismic events were inverted into P-wave velocity model using non-linear tomography (Silvennoinen et al., in preparation). The second stage was numerical petrological interpretation of referred above velocity model. This study presents estimation of mineralogical composition of the uppermost mantle as a result of numerical modeling. There are many studies concerning calculation of seismic velocities for polymineral media under high pressure and temperature conditions (Afonso, Fernàndez, Ranalli, Griffin, & Connolly, 2008; Fullea et al., 2009; Hacker, 2004; Xu, Lithgow-Bertelloni, Stixrude, & Ritsema, 2008). The elastic properties under high pressure and temperature (PT) conditions were modelled using the expanded Hook's law - Duhamel-Neumann equation, which allows computation of thermoelastic strains. Furthermore, we used a matrix model with multi-component inclusions that has no any restrictions on shape, orientation or concentration of inclusions. Stochastic method of conditional moment with computation scheme of Mori-Tanaka (Prodaivoda, Khoroshun, Nazarenko, & Vyzhva, 2000) is applied instead of traditional Voigt-Reuss-Hill and Hashin-Shtrikman equations. We developed software for both forward and inverse problem calculation. Inverse algorithm uses methods of global non-linear optimization. We prefer a "model-based" approach for ill-posed problem, which means that the problem is solved using geological and geophysical constraints for each parameter of a priori and final models. Additionally, we are checking at least several different hypothesis explaining how it is possible to get the solution with good fit to the observed data. If the a priori model is close to the real medium, the nearest solution would be found by the inversion. Otherwise, the global optimization is searching inside the

Sampling a complete section of the ocean crust to the Moho was the original inspiration for scientific ocean drilling, and remains the main goal of the 21st Century Mohole Initiative in the IODP Science Plan. Fundamental questions about the composition, structure, and geophysical characteristics of the ocean lithosphere, and about the magnitude of chemical exchanges between the mantle, crust and oceans remain unresolved due to the absence of in-situ samples and measurements. The geological nature of the Mohorovičić discontinuity itself remains poorly constrained. "Mission Moho" is a proposal that was submitted to IODP in April 2007, with the ambition to drill completely through intact oceanic crust formed at a fast spreading rate, across the Moho and into the uppermost mantle. Although, eventually, no long-term mission was approved by IODP, the scientific objectives related to deep drilling in the ocean crust remain essential to our understanding of the Earth. These objectives are to : - Determine the geological meaning of the Moho in different oceanic settings, determine the in situ composition, structure and physical properties of the uppermost mantle, and understand mantle melt migration, - Determine the bulk composition of the oceanic crust to establish the chemical links between erupted lavas and primary mantle melts, understand the extent and intensity of seawater hydrothermal exchange with the lithosphere, and estimate the chemical fluxes returned to the mantle by subduction, - Test competing hypotheses of the ocean crust accretion at fast spreading mid-ocean ridges, and quantify the linkages and feedbacks between magma intrusion, hydrothermal circulation and tectonic activity, - Calibrate regional seismic measurements against recovered cores and borehole measurements, and understand the origin of marine magnetic anomalies, - Establish the limits of life in the ocean lithosphere. The "MoHole" was planned as the final stage of Mission Moho, which requires

Kimberlite-borne mantle eclogite xenoliths of Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic age are commonly interpreted as representing former oceanic crust. As such, they may retain a memory of the redox state of the ancient convecting mantle sources that gave rise to their magmatic protoliths and which controls the speciation of volatiles in planetary interiors. Mantle eclogite suites commonly include both cumulate and variably evolved extrusive varieties [1], which may be characterised by initial differences in Fe3+/Fetotal. Recent Fe-based oxybarometry shows mantle eclogites to have fO2 relative to the fayalite-magnetite-quartz buffer (ΔFMQ) of -3 to 0, whereby low fO2 relative to modern MORB may relate to subduction of more reducing Archaean oceanic crust or loss of ferric Fe during partial melt loss [2]. Indeed, using V/Sc as a redox proxy, it was recently shown that Archaean mantle eclogites are more reduced than modern MORB (ΔFMQ-1.3 vs. ΔFMQ -0.4) [3]. However, in the warmer ancient mantle, they were also subject to modification due to partial melt loss upon recycling and, after capture in the cratonic mantle lithosphere, may be overprinted by interaction with metasomatic melts and fluids. In order to help further constrain the redox state of mantle eclogites and unravel the effect of primary and secondary processes, we measured Fe3+/Fetotal by Mössbauer in garnet from mantle eclogites from the Lace kimberlite (Kaapvaal craton), comprising samples with melt- and cumulate-like oceanic crustal protoliths as well as metasomatised samples. Fe3+/ΣFe in garnet shows a strong negative correlation with jadeite content and bulk-rock Li and Cu abundances, suggesting increased partitioning of Fe3+ into jadeite in the presence of monovalent cations with which it can form coupled substitutions. Broad negative correlation with whole-rock Al2O3/TiO2 and positive correlation with ΣREE are interpreted as incompatible behaviour of Fe3+ during olivine-plagioclase accumulation

Hawaii is the archetypal example of hotspot volcanism. Classic plume theory suggests a vertical plume ascent from the core-mantle boundary to the surface. However, recently it has been suggested that the plume path may be more complex. Determining the exact trajectory of the Hawaiian plume seismic anomaly in the mantle has proven challenging. We determine P-to-S (Ps) receiver functions to illuminate the 410- and 660-km depth mantle discontinuities beneath the Hawaiian Islands using waveforms recorded on land and ocean-bottom seismometers, applying new corrections for tilt and coherence to the ocean bottom data. Our 3-D depth-migrated maps provide enhanced lateral resolution of the mantle transition zone discontinuities. The 410 discontinuity is characterised by a deepened area beneath central Hawaii, surrounded by an elevated shoulder. At the 660 discontinuity, shallow topography is located to the north and far south of the islands, and a deep topographic anomaly is located far west and east. The transition zone thickness varies laterally by ±13 km depth: thin beneath north-central Hawaii and thick farther away in a horseshoe-like feature. We infer that at 660-km depth a broad or possibly a double region of upwelling converges into a single plume beneath central Hawaii at 410-km depth. As the plume rises farther, uppermost mantle melting and flow results in the downwelling of cold material, down to at least 410 km surrounding the plume stem. This result in the context of others supports complex plume dynamics including a possible non-vertical plume path and adjacent mantle downwellings.

Depletions of siderophile elements in mantles have placed constraints on the conditions on core segregation and differentiation in bodies such as Earth, Earth's Moon, Mars, and asteroid 4 Vesta. Among the siderophile elements there are a sub-set that are also volatile (volatile siderophile elements or VSE; Ga, Ge, In, As, Sb, Sn, Bi, Zn, Cu, Cd), and thus can help to constrain the origin of volatile elements in these bodies, and in particular the Earth and Moon. One of the fundamental observations of the geochemistry of the Moon is the overall depletion of volatile elements relative to the Earth, but a satisfactory explanation has remained elusive. Hypotheses for Earth include addition during accretion and core formation and mobilized into the metallic core, multiple stage origin, or addition after the core formed. Any explanation for volatile elements in the Earth's mantle must also be linked to an explanation of these elements in the lunar mantle. New metal-silicate partitioning data will be applied to the origin of volatile elements in both the Earth and Moon, and will evaluate theories for exogenous versus endogenous origin of volatile elements.

We investigate the cycling of water (regassing, dehydration, and degassing) in mantle convection simulations as a function of the strength of the oceanic lithosphere and its influence on the evolution of mantle water content. We also consider pseudo-plastic yielding with a friction coefficient for simulating brittle behavior of the plates and the water-weakening effect of mantle materials. This model can generate long-term plate-like behavior as a consequence of the water-weakening effect of mantle minerals. This finding indicates that water cycling plays an essential role in generating tectonic plates. In vigorous plate motion, the mantle water content rapidly increases by up to approximately 4-5 ocean masses, which we define as the "burst" effect. A burst is related to the mantle temperature and water solubility in the mantle transition zone. When the mantle is efficiently cooled down, the mantle transition zone can store water transported by the subducted slabs that can pass through the "choke point" of water solubility. The onset of the burst effect is strongly dependent on the friction coefficient. The burst effect of the mantle water content could have significantly influenced the evolution of the surface water if the burst started early, in which case the Earth's surface cannot preserve the surface water over the age of the Earth.

We study wavefield effects in elastic isotropic 3-D seismic structures derived from the temperature field of a high resolution mantle circulation model. More specifically, we quantify the structural dispersion of traveltime residuals of direct P- and S-waves in a model with realistic length-scales and magnitudes of the variations in seismic velocities and density. 3-D global wave propagation is simulated using a spectral element method, and traveltime residuals are measured in four different frequency bands by cross-correlation of 3-D and 1-D synthetic waveforms. Intrinsic (dissipative) attenuation is deliberately neglected, so that any variation of traveltimes with frequency can be attributed to structural effects. Additional simulations are performed for a model in which 3-D structure is removed in the upper 800 km to isolate the dispersion signal of the lower mantle. One question that we address is whether the structural length-scales inherent to a vigorously convecting mantle give rise to significant body-wave dispersion. In our synthetic dataset, the difference between long-period and short-period traveltime residuals generally increases with increasing short-period residual. However, we do not find an exact linear dependence, and in case of P-waves even non-monotonic behaviour. At largest short-period residuals, average dispersion is on the order of 2 s for both P- and S-waves and even larger when structure is confined to the lower mantle. Dispersion also appears to be asymmetric; that is, larger for negative than for positive residuals. The standard deviations of both P- and S-wave residuals also increase with increasing period and we discuss possible explanations for this behaviour. Overall, wavefield effects in both models are generally stronger for P-waves than for S-waves at the same frequencies. We also find that for certain combinations of periods, the difference between the respective residuals is very similar between the "whole mantle" and the "lower

This study was designed to examine the reliability of the new version of the AJCC staging system (1997) of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in comparison with the AJCC staging system of 1992. Between 1983 and 1996, 185 patients with histologically proven nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated with radiation therapy at the Department of Therapeutic Radiology Seoul National University Hospital. For these patients, AJCC staging system of 1992 was compared with the 1997 version, by reviewing hospital records, computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 5-year overall survival rates according to the 1992 and 1997 AJCC staging systems were 100%, and 100% at stage I; 100%, and 68.8% at stage ll;61.4%, and 63.8% at stage III; 61.1%, and 63.2% at stageIV. 5-year overall survival rates of each classification showed significant differences between stages (p=0.0049 for the old version, p=0.01 for the new), but no significant difference was found between the staging systems except at stage II. The new AJCC staging system allows staging as reliably as the 1992 version, but the adequacy of the newly modified staging classification should be confirmed by further clinical examination.

The style of mantle convection (e.g., layered- vs. whole-mantle convection) is one of the most hotly contested questions in the Geological Sciences. Geochemical arguments for and against mantle layering have largely focused on mass-balance evidence for the existence of "hidden" geochemical reservoirs. However, the size and location of such reservoirs are largely unconstrained, and most geochemical arguments for mantle layering are consistent with a depleted mantle comprising most of the mantle mass and a comparatively small volume of enriched, hidden material either within D" or within seismically anomalous "piles" beneath southern Africa and the South Pacific. The mass flux associated with subduction of oceanic lithosphere is large and plate subduction is an efficient driver of convective mixing in the mantle. Therefore, the depth to which oceanic lithosphere descends into the mantle is effectively the depth of the upper mantle in any layered mantle model. Numerous geochemical studies provide convincing evidence that many mantle plumes contain material which at one point resided close to the Earth's surface (e.g., recycled oceanic crust ± sediments, possibly subduction-modified mantle wedge material). Fluid dynamic models further reveal that only the central cores of mantle plumes are involved in melt generation. The presence of recycled material in the sources of many ocean island basalts therefore cannot be explained by entrainment of this material during plume ascent, but requires that recycled material resides within or immediately above the thermo-chemical boundary layer(s) that generates mantle plumes. More recent Os- isotope studies of mantle xenoliths from OIB settings reveal the presence not only of recycled crust in mantle plumes, but also ancient melt-depleted harzburgite interpreted to represent ancient recycled oceanic lithosphere [1]. Thus, there is increasing evidence that subducted slabs accumulate in the boundary layer(s) that provide the source

Improved constraints on lower-mantle composition are fundamental to understand the accretion, differentiation, and thermochemical evolution of our planet. Cosmochemical arguments indicate that lower-mantle rocks may be enriched in Si relative to upper-mantle pyrolite, whereas seismic tomography images suggest whole-mantle convection and hence appear to imply efficient mantle mixing. This study reconciles cosmochemical and geophysical constraints using the stagnation of some slab segments at ~1000-km depth as the key observation. Through numerical modeling of subduction, we show that lower-mantle enrichment in intrinsically dense basaltic lithologies can render slabs neutrally buoyant in the uppermost lower mantle. Slab stagnation (at depths of ~660 and ~1000 km) and unimpeded slab sinking to great depths can coexist if the basalt fraction is ~8% higher in the lower mantle than in the upper mantle, equivalent to a lower-mantle Mg/Si of ~1.18. Global-scale geodynamic models demonstrate that such a moderate compositional gradient across the mantle can persist can in the presence of whole-mantle convection.

It has been argued that viscous dissipation from mantle flow in response to surface loading during glacial cycles can result in short-term heating and thus trigger transient volcanism or changes in mantle properties, which may in turn affect mantle dynamics. Furthermore, heating near the Earth's

Basaltic volcanoes transfer volatiles from the mantle to the surface of the Earth. The quantification of deep volatile fluxes relies heavily on estimates of the volatile content of primitive magmas, the best archive of which is provided by melt inclusions. Available data from volcanoes producing mafic alkaline lavas in a range of tectonic settings suggest high volatile fluxes, but information remains sparse, particularly for intraplate ocean islands. Here we present measurements of volatile and trace element concentrations, as well as sulphur speciation, in olivine-hosted melt inclusions and matrix glasses from quenched basanite lava balloon samples from the 2011-2012 submarine eruption at El Hierro, Canary Islands. The results reveal remarkably high concentrations of dissolved volatiles and incompatible trace elements in this magma, with ∼80 ppm Nb and up to 3420 ppm CO2, 3.0 wt.% H2O and 5080 ppm S. Reconstructed primitive CO2 contents, considering CO2/Nb systematics and possible CO2 sequestration in shrinkage bubbles, reach weight percent levels, indicating that carbon is a major constituent of Canary Island magmas at depth and that exsolution of a CO2-rich fluid begins in the mantle at pressures in excess of 1 GPa. Correlations between sulphur concentration, sulphur speciation and water content suggest strong reduction of an initially oxidised mantle magma, likely controlled by coupled H2O and S degassing. This late-stage redox change may have triggered sulphide saturation, recorded by globular sulphide inclusions in clinopyroxene and ulvöspinel. The El Hierro basanite thus had a particularly high volatile-carrying capacity and released a minimum of 1.3-2.1 Tg CO2 and 1.8-2.9 Tg S to the environment, causing substantial stress on the local submarine ecosystem. These results highlight the important contribution of alkaline ocean island volcanoes, such as the Canary Islands, to volatile fluxes from the mantle.

Purpose: There is an increased incidence of breast cancer following mantle field radiation therapy for Hodgkin's disease (HD). We reviewed the experience at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) for radiation factors related to the development of breast cancer after mantle field radiation therapy for HD. Methods: The radiation therapy records of 152 women treated with mantle field irradiation for HD at MIR between 1966-1985 were reviewed for the development of breast cancer and treatment-related factors. All patients had a minimum of 5 years of follow-up. The treatment era (1966-1974 vs. 1975-1985), stage of HD, mediastinal dose, axillary dose, maximum dose from the anterior field (anterior d max dose), the anterior-posterior:posterior-anterior (AP:PA) ratio, age at the time of treatment, length of follow-up, and history of splenectomy were analyzed as possible contributing factors for the development of breast cancer. The observed number of breast cancers was compared to the expected number based on age-adjusted incidences from the Connecticut Tumor Registry. Results: Ten breast cancers occurred in the population. Eight involved an upper outer quadrant. In a multivariate analysis, the development of breast cancer was significantly associated with axillary dose. Patients in the early treatment era were at an increased risk for the development of breast cancer due to high anterior d max and breast doses from weighting the fields anteriorly on a low energy linear accelerator. The use of current radiation therapy techniques was not related to an increased risk of breast cancer with a median follow-up of 13 years. Conclusions: A high dose to the axilla and the anterior d max point is significantly associated with the development of breast cancer after mantle field irradiation for HD. Efforts to protect the breast from high doses will likely lessen the increased risk of breast cancer in women treated with radiation therapy for HD

U-series radioactive disequilibria in basaltic lavas have been used to infer many important aspects of melt generation and extraction processes in Earth's mantle and crust, including the porosity of the melting zone, the solid mantle upwelling rate, and the melt transport rate. Most of these inferences have been based on simplified theoretical treatments of the fractionation process, which assume equilibrium partitioning of U-series nuclides among minerals and melt. We have developed a numerical model in which solid-state diffusion controls the exchange of U-series nuclides among multiple minerals and melt. First the initial steady-state distribution of nuclides among the phases, which represents a balance between diffusive fluxes and radioactive production and decay, is calculated. Next, partial melting begins, or a foreign melt is introduced into the system, and nuclides are again redistributed among the phases via diffusion. U-series nuclides can be separated during this stage due to differences in their diffusivity; radium in particular, and possibly protactinium as well, can be strongly fractionated from slower-diffusing thorium and uranium. We show that two distinct processes are not required for the generation of 226Ra and 230Th excesses in mid-ocean ridge basalts, as has been argued previously; instead the observed negative correlations of the ( 226Ra/ 230Th) activity ratio with ( 230Th/ 238U) and with the extent of trace element enrichment may result from diffusive fractionation of Ra from Th during partial melting of the mantle. Alternatively, the ( 226Ra/ 230Th) disequilibrium in mid-ocean ridge basalts may result from diffusive fractionation during shallow-level interaction of mantle melts with gabbroic cumulates, and we show that the results of the interaction have a weak dependence on the age of the cumulate if both plagioclase and clinopyroxene are present.

Passive continental margins offer the unique opportunity to study the processes involved in continental extension and break-up. Within the LISPWAL (LIthospheric Structure of the Namibian continental Passive margin at the intersection with the Walvis Ridge from amphibious seismic investigations) project, combined on- and offshore seismic experiments were designed to characterize the Southern African passive margin at the Walvis Ridge in northern Namibia. In addition to extensive analysis of the crustal structures, we carried out seismic investigations targeting the velocity structure of the upper mantle in the landfall region of the Walvis Ridge with the Namibian coast. Upper mantle Pn travel time tomography from controlled source, amphibious seismic data was used to investigate the sub-Moho upper mantle seismic velocity. We succeeded in imaging upper mantle structures potentially associated with continental break-up and/or the Tristan da Cunha hotspot track. We found mostly coast-parallel sub-Moho velocity anomalies, interpreted as structures which were created during Gondwana break-up.

The Bouguer gravity profiles obtained across the gravity anomaly contour lines in the region have been interpreted using 2D1/2 gravity modelling. The results reveal that in the southern part of the Douala Sedimentary Basin, two major structures exist: a half-dome of mantle material explained by isostatic compensation and a ...

The mantle electrical conductivity-depth profile of the Niger delta region in Nigeria has been determined using solar quiet day ionospheric current (Sq).The magnetometer data obtained in 2010 from geomagnetic stations installed in Lagos by magnetic dataset (MAGDAS) in 2008 and data from magnetometers installed in ...

Mantle cell lymphoma is a relatively rare B-cell lymphoma with a specific genetic lesion and a typical immunophenotypic profile. The median age is 65 years. There is no curative treatment, except allogeneic stem cell transplantation for a selected group of patients. For the majority of patients,

textabstractMantle cell lymphoma is a relatively rare B-cell lymphoma with a specific genetic lesion and a typical immunophenotypic profile. The median age is 65 years. There is no curative treatment, except allogeneic stem cell transplantation for a selected group of patients. For the majority of

Deglaciation during the Holocene on Iceland caused uplift due to glacial isostatic adjustment. Relatively low estimates for the upper mantle viscosity and lithospheric thickness result in rapid uplift responses to the deglaciation cycles on Iceland. The relatively high temperatures of the upper

We present a three‐dimensional S‐velocity model for the upper mantle beneath the Philippine Sea region. It was derived from inversions of 281 broad band vertical‐component seismograms recorded in the area at the Global Seismological Network (GSN) and SKIPPY portable array stations. We have been able

BACKGROUND The long-term prognosis for older patients with mantle-cell lymphoma is poor. Chemoimmunotherapy results in low rates of complete remission, and most patients have a relapse. We investigated whether a fludarabine-containing induction regimen improved the complete-remission rate and

The oxidation state of the Earth's mantle during formation remains an unresolved question, whether it was constant throughout planetary accretion, transitioned from reduced to oxidized, or from oxidized to reduced. We investigate the stability of Fe3(+) at depth, in order to constrain processes (water, late accretion, dissociation of FeO) which may reduce or oxidize the Earth's mantle. In our previous experiments on shergottite compositions, variable fO2, T, and P less than 4 GPa, Fe3(+)/sigma Fe decreased slightly with increasing P, similar to terrestrial basalt. For oxidizing experiments less than 7GPa, Fe3(+)/sigma Fe decreased as well, but it's unclear from previous modelling whether the deeper mantle could retain significant Fe3(+). Our current experiments expand our pressure range deeper into the Earth's mantle and focus on compositions and conditions relevant to the early Earth. Preliminary multi-anvil experiments with Knippa basalt as the starting composition were conducted at 5-7 GPa and 1800 C, using a molybdenum capsule to set the fO2 near IW, by buffering with Mo-MoO3. TEM and EELS analyses revealed the run products quenched to polycrystalline phases, with the major phase pyroxene containing approximately equal to Fe3(+)/2(+). Experiments are underway to produce glassy samples that can be measured by EELS and XANES, and are conducted at higher pressures.

A new project is probing the seismic structure of the lithosphere and mantle beneath Australia. The Skippy Project, named after the bush kangaroo, exploits Australia's regional seismicity and makes use of recent advances in digital recording technology to collect three-component broadband

The global measurement of the time dependence of geoid height that is being provided by the GRACE satellite system that is now in space will eventually provide the basis for considerably more accurate inversions for mantle viscosity structure than are now possible. However, existing data on the time dependence of geoid height based upon the results of satellite laser ranging already provide very strong constraints upon the effective viscosity of the of the deepest mantle, especially when these are conbined with observations of the spectrum of relaxation times that characterize the process of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). Such data, by themselves, very tightly constrain the viscosity structure in the upper mantle and transition zone. We will describe a series of new analyses of the expected global pattern of geoid height time dependence based upon the recently published refined model of the GIA process denoted ICE-5G(VM2), a model based upon a significant refinement of the ICE-4G(VM2) precursor ( see W.R. Peltier, Ann. Rev. Earth and Planet. Sci., 32, 111-149, 2004). The impact of the new model of surface loading upon the mantle viscosity inverse problem turns out to be both interesting and significant.

The results of mantle convection simulations are fully determined by the input parameters and boundary conditions used. These input parameters can be for initialisation, such as initial mantle temperature, or can be constant values, such as viscosity exponents. However, knowledge of Earth-like values for many input parameters are very poorly constrained, introducing large uncertainties into the simulation of mantle flow. Convection is highly non-linear, therefore linearised inversion methods cannot be used to recover past configurations over more than very short periods of time, which makes finding both initial and constant simulation input parameters very difficult. In this paper, we demonstrate a new method for making inferences about simulation input parameters from observations of the mantle temperature field after billions of years of convection. The method is fully probabilistic. We use prior sampling to construct probability density functions for convection simulation input parameters, which are represented using neural networks. Assuming smoothness, we need relatively few samples to make inferences, making this approach much more computationally tractable than other probabilistic inversion methods. As a proof of concept, we show that our method can invert the amplitude spectra of temperature fields from 2D convection simulations, to constrain yield stress, surface reference viscosity and the initial thickness of primordial material at the CMB, for our synthetic test cases. The best constrained parameter is yield stress. The reference viscosity and initial thickness of primordial material can also be inferred reasonably well after several billion years of convection.

The mantle of the Earth, and probably of other terrestrial planets as well, is heated from below and within. The heating mode of mantle convection is thus mixed heating, and it is also time dependent because the amount of heat-producing isotopes in the mantle is steadily decreasing by radioactive decay and because the basal heat flux originating in the cooling of the core can vary with time. This mode of transient mixed heating presents its own challenges to the study of mantle convection, but such difficulties are not always appreciated in the recent literature. The purpose of this tutorial is to clarify the issue of heating mode by explaining relevant concepts in a coherent manner, including the internal heating ratio, the Urey ratio, secular cooling, and the connection between the thermal budget of the Earth and the geochemical models of the Earth. The importance of such basic concepts will be explained with some illustrative examples in the context of the thermal evolution of the Earth, and a summary of common pitfalls will be provided, with a possible strategy for how to avoid them.

Many known rocky exoplanets are thought to have been spun down by tidal interactions to a state of synchronous rotation, in which a planet's period of rotation is equal to that of its orbit around its host star. Investigations into atmospheric and surface processes occurring on such exoplanets thus commonly assume that day and night sides are fixed with respect to the surface over geological timescales. Here we use an analytical model to show that true polar wander—where a planetary body's spin axis shifts relative to its surface because of changes in mass distribution—can continuously reorient a synchronous rocky exoplanet. As occurs on Earth, we find that even weak mantle convection in a rocky exoplanet can produce density heterogeneities within the mantle sufficient to reorient the planet. Moreover, we show that this reorientation is made very efficient by the slower rotation rate of a synchronous planet when compared with Earth, which limits the stabilizing effect of rotational and tidal deformations. Furthermore, a relatively weak lithosphere limits its ability to support remnant loads and stabilize against reorientation. Although uncertainties exist regarding the mantle and lithospheric evolution of these worlds, we suggest that the axes of smallest and largest moment of inertia of synchronous exoplanets with active mantle convection change continuously over time, but remain closely aligned with the star-planet and orbital axes, respectively.

The cycling of hydrogen influences the structure, composition, and stratification of Earth’s interior. Our recent discovery of pyrite-structured iron peroxide (designated as the P phase) and the formation of the P phase from dehydrogenation of goethite FeO2H implies the separation of the oxygen and hydrogen cycles in the deep lower mantle beneath 1,800 km. Here we further characterize the residual hydrogen, x, in the P-phase FeO2Hx. Using a combination of theoretical simulations and high-pressure-temperature experiments, we calibrated the x dependence of molar volume of the P phase. Within the current range of experimental conditions, we observed a compositional range of P phase of 0.39 hydrogen and lower x, suggesting that dehydrogenation could be approaching completion at the high-temperature conditions of the lower mantle over extended geological time. Our observations indicate a fundamental change in the mode of hydrogen release from dehydration in the upper mantle to dehydrogenation in the deep lower mantle, thus differentiating the deep hydrogen and hydrous cycles.

The Cordillera of the Andes is a double-vergent orogenic belt built up by thickening of South American plate crust. Several models provide plausible explanations for the evolution of the Andes, but the reason why shortening started at 50 Ma is still unclear. We explore the evolution of the subduction zone through time by restoring the position of the Nazca trench in an absolute reference frame, comparing its position with seismic tomography models and balancing the evolution of the subducting slab. Reconstructions show that the slab enters into the lower mantle at 50+10 Ma, and then progressed, moving horizontally at shallow lower mantle depth while thickening and folding in the transition zone. We test this evolutionary scenario by numerical models, which illustrate that compression in the upper plate emerges once the slab is anchored in the lower mantle. We conclude that onset of significant shortening and crustal thickening in the Andes and its sustained action over tens of million years is related to the penetration of the slab into the lower mantle, producing a slowdown of lateral slab migration, and dragging the upper plate against the subduction zone by large-scale return flow.

The mantle electrical conductivity-depth profile of the Niger delta region in Nigeria has been determined using solar quiet day ionospheric current (Sq). The magnetometer data obtained in 2010 from geomag- netic stations installed in Lagos by magnetic dataset (MAGDAS) in 2008 and data from magnetometers installed in ...

Treatment of elderly patients with a mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a challenge. High-dose cytarabine and autologous transplantation, both important components of the treatment in younger patients, are not feasible for most elderly patients. However, in fit elderly patients long progression-free

One poorly constrained reservoir of the Earth's water budget is that of clinopyroxene in metasomatised, mantle peridotites. This study presents reconnaissance Sensitive High-Resolution, Ion Microprobe–Stable Isotope (SHRIMP–SI) determinations of the H2O contents of (dominantly) clinopyroxenes in rare mantle xenoliths from four different subduction zones, i.e. Mexico, Kamchatka, Philippines, and New Britain (Tabar-Feni island chain) as well as one intra-plate setting (western Victoria). All of the sub-arc xenoliths have been metasomatised and carry strong arc trace element signatures. Average measured H2O contents of the pyroxenes range from 70 ppm to 510 ppm whereas calculated bulk H2O contents range from 88 ppm to 3 737 ppm if the variable presence of amphibole is taken into account. In contrast, the intra-plate, continental mantle xenolith from western Victoria has higher water contents (3 447 ppm) but was metasomatised by alkali and/or carbonatitic melts and does not carry a subduction-related signature. Material similar to the sub-arc peridotites can either be accreted to the base of the lithosphere or potentially be transported by convection deeper into the mantle where it will lose water due to amphibole breakdown.

This thesis adopts multidisciplinary (geodynamical and seismological) approaches toward understanding dynamics of the Earth's mantle. My geodynamical approach is directed at understanding the relationship between large-scale surface observables (geoid, topography, plate motions) and mantle rheology and convection of the present-day Earth. In chapter 2, I remove shallow mantle structure of various tectonic features to generate "residual tomography." In chapter 3, I show that the pattern, spectrum and amplitude of the "residual topography" are consistent with shallow origin of the "Earth surface dynamic topography;" the long wavelength geoid and topography (l = 2-3) are successfully explained by density models inferred from the "residual tomography," assuming layered mantle convection stratified at the "920 km seismic discontinuity." In chapter 4, I develop a new method to calculate mantle flow with lateral variation of viscosity. The viscosity contrast between continental and oceanic regions is identified to have dominating effects on both the observed poloidal/toroidal ratio and pattern of toroidal motions at long wavelengths. My seismological approach is focused on exploring fine structures near the core-mantle boundary (CMB) and developing new seismic techniques. I discuss the method development and strategies to explore fine structures in the following chapters. In chapter 5, I develop a hybrid method, a combination of analytical and numerical methods, with numerical methods applied in heterogeneous regions only. In chapter 6, I constrain the general structures of the ultra low velocity zones (ULVZ) near the CMB under the south-east Pacific and Iceland. The SKS-SPdKS data are explained by ULVZ with P-velocity reduction of 10%, horizontal length-scales of about 250 km and height of about 40 km. S-velocity reduction of 30% is consistent with the data. In chapter 7, I constrain the detailed structures of the ULVZ near the CMB from observed broadband PKP precursors

Melting behavior of the most abundant lower mantle minerals, bridgmanite and ferropericlase, at high pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions is of critical importance to understand the dynamic evolution of the early Earth and to explain the seismological and geochemical signatures in the present lowermost mantle. Theoretical calculations [1] and geodynamical models [2] suggested that partial melting of early Earth among MgO-FeO-SiO2 ternary could be located at the eutectic point where a pyrolitic composition formed for the Earth's lower mantle and the eutectic crystallization process could provide a plausible mechanism to the origin of the ultra-low velocity zones (ULVZs) near the core-mantle boundary. Here we have investigated the melting behavior of ferropericlase and Al,Fe-bearing bridgmanite in laser-heated diamond anvil cells coupled with in situ X-ray diffraction up to 120 GPa. Together with chemical and texture characterizations of the quenched samples, these results are analyzed using thermodynamic models to address the effects of iron on the liquidus and solidus temperatures as well as solid-liquid iron partitioning and the eutectic point in ferropericlase-bridgmanite existing system at lower-mantle pressure. In this presentation, we discuss the application of these results to better constrain the seismic observations of the deep lowermost mantle such as large low shear wave velocity provinces (LLSVPs) and ULVZs. We will also discuss the geochemical consequences of the ferropericlase-bridgmanite melting due to the changes in the electronic spin and valence states of iron in the system. ADDIN EN.REFLIST 1. Boukaré, C.E., Y. Ricard, and G. Fiquet, Thermodynamics of the MgO-FeO-SiO2 system up to 140 GPa: Application to the crystallization of Earth's magma ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2015. 120(9): p. 6085-6101. 2. Labrosse, S., J. Hernlund, and N. Coltice, A crystallizing dense magma ocean at the base of the Earth's mantle. Nature, 2007

In the mantle-carbonatite conception of diamond genesis, the results of physic-chemical experiments are coordinated with the data of analytic mineralogy of primary inclusions in natural diamonds. Generalization of the solutions of principal genetic problems constitutes the bases of the conception. The solutions are following: (1) it is grounded that diamond-parental melts of the upper mantle have peridotite/eclogite - carbonatite - carbon compositions, of the transition zone - (wadsleite↔ringwoodite) - majorite - stishovite - carbonatite - carbon compositions, and of the lower mantle - periclase/wustite - bridgmanite - Ca-perovskite -stishovite - carbonatite - carbon compositions; (2) a construction of generalized diagrams for the diamond-parental media, which reveal changeable compositions of the growth melts of diamonds and associated phases, their genetic relations to the mantle substance, and classification connections of the primary inclusions in natural diamonds; (3) experimental equilibrium phase diagrams of syngenesis of diamonds and primary inclusions, which characterize the nucleation and growth conditions of diamonds and a capture of paragenetic and xenogenetic minerals by the growing diamonds; (4) a determination of the phase diagrams of diamonds and inclusions syngenesis under the regime of fractional crystallization, which discover the regularities of ultrabasic-basic evolution and paragenesis transitions in the diamond-forming systems of the upper and lower mantle. The evidence of the physic-chemically united mode of diamond genesis at the mantle depths with different mineralogy is obtained. References. Litvin Yu.A. (2007). High-pressure mineralogy of diamond genesis. In: Advances in High-Pressure Mineralogy (edited by Eiji Ohtani), Geological Society of America Special paper 421, 83-103. Litvin Yu.A. (2012). Experimental study of physic-chemical conditions of natural diamond formation on an example of the eclogite

Conclusion: The majority of our patients with HCC were characterized as Subtype IV in Bismuth typing and Stage T3 in modified T-stage. Both Bismuth typing and modified T-stage showed prognostic value in HCC. Compared with Bismuth typing, modified T-stage is a better indicator of the resectability of HCC.

One of the most robust results from tomographic studies is the existence of two antipodally located Large Low Shear Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs) at the base of the mantle, which appear to be chemically denser than the ambient mantle. Results from reconstruction studies (Torsvik et al., 2006) infer that the LLSVPs are stable, long-lived, and are sampled by deep mantle plumes that rise predominantly from their margins. The origin of the dense material is debated, but generally falls within three categories: (i) a primitive layer that formed during magma ocean crystallization, (ii) accumulation of a dense eclogitic component from the recycled oceanic crust, and (iii) outer core material leaking into the lower mantle. A dense layer underlying a less dense ambient mantle is gravitationally stable. However, the flow due to thermal density variations, i.e. hot rising plumes and cold downwelling slabs, may deform the layer into piles with higher topography. Further deformation may lead to entrainment of the dense layer, its mixing with the ambient material, and even complete homogenisation with the rest of the mantle. The amount of the anomalous LLSVP-material that gets entrained into the rising plumes poses a constraint on the survival time of the LLSVPs, as well as on the plume buoyancy, on the lithospheric uplift associated with plume interaction and geochemical signature of the erupted lavas observed at the Earth's surface. Recent estimates for the plume responsible for the formation of the Siberian Flood Basalts give about 15% of entrained dense recycled oceanic crust, which made the hot mantle plume almost neutrally buoyant (Sobolev et al., 2011). In this numerical study we investigate the mechanics of entrainment of a dense basal layer by convective mantle flow. We observe that the types of flow that promote entrainment of the dense layer are (i) upwelling of the dense layer when it gets heated enough to overcome its stabilizing chemical density anomaly, (ii

Olivine is the most volumetrically abundant mineral in the Earth's upper mantle, as such it dominates the mechanical and physical properties and has a controlling influence of the geodynamics of plate tectonics. Since the pioneering work of Hess and others we know that seismic anisotropy of the shallow mantle is related to olivine and it's crystal preferred orientation (CPO). With advent of plate tectonics the understanding of the key role of peridotite rocks became a major scientific objective and the measurement CPO of olivine in upper mantle samples became an important tool for studying the kinematics of these rocks. Our group originally lead by Adolphe Nicolas introduced the systematic use of CPO measured by U-stage for field studies all over the world for over 30 years, this tradition was extended in last 15 years by the use of electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) to study of CPO and the associated digital microstructure. It is an appropriate time to analysis this significant database of olivine CPO, which represents the work of our group, both present and former members, as well as collaborating colleagues. It is also interesting to compare the natural record as illustrated by our database in the light of recent experimental results stimulated by the extended ranges in temperature, pressure and finite strain, as well as intrinsic olivine variables such as hydrogen content. To analysis the database, which is heterogeneous because it is constructed from the individual work of many people over a 45 year period containing U-stage data and EBSD measurements (manual indexing point per grain, automatic indexing one point per grain, automatic indexing gridded mapping data) of various formats, we need a flexible software tool that can handle large volumes of data in consistent way. We have used the state-of-art open source MTEX toolbox for quantitative texture analysis. MTEX is a scriptable MATLAB toolbox, which permits all aspects of quantitative texture

Nitrogen and carbon are essential elements for life on Earth, and their relative abundances in planetary bodies (C/N ratios) are important for understanding planetary evolution and habitability1,2. However, the high C/N ratio in the bulk silicate Earth relative to CI chondrites and other volatile-rich chondrites